Two dead, 18 hospitalized in north China chlorine leak

SHIJIAZHUANG, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and 18 others hospitalized in a chlorine leak in north China's Hebei province early on Saturday morning.

The accident happened at 4:10 a.m., at Lixing chemical plant near Sunguozhuang village of Hejian city less than 200 kilometers away from Beijing, poisoning residents of the village and those nearby.

Twenty people were taken to hospital for treatment, two of whom died. The condition of the others is not known.

Source of the leak has been blocked.

Further details and cause of the accident are under investigation.