A truck carrying tanks of liquid chlorine crashed into another truck in the eastern province of Jiangsu on Tuesday, leaving 28 dead by Thursday morning.

Most of those killed died from inhaling fumes of the spilt chlorine. About 350 people from nearby villages were also poisoned and remained in hospitals in Huai'an on Thursday. Twenty are listed in critical condition.

"Most are in a stable condition," said a doctor at the Huai'an First People's Hospital. He declined to give further details.

Around 10,000 people were evacuated from the area, which is next to the Beijing-Shanghai expressway, said a Huai'an transport accident management official named Song.

The collision is believed to have been caused by a flat tire on the tanker, and the expressway was blocked off for nearly 20 hours before reopening on Wednesday evening.

The truck carrying the chemical overturned, dumping the tanks on the road. Rescue and recovery teams have moved the tanks into a pond to prevent further spread and gasification of the chemical.

The driver of the tanker fled the scene but surrendered himself in Nanjing, the provincial capital, late on Wednesday. The other driver was killed in the crash.

Song said it is still not known how much liquid chlorine was being carried by the truck, but according to Xinhua News Agency it was 30 tons, 20 of which were spilt.

Although the remaining liquid has been diluted with water to reduce danger, said Song, the evacuated villagers will have to wait until the gas dissipates completely before returning home.

In nearby fields, the rape plants have already wilted. Local farmers, who depend on the crop for edible oil and income, say that it may be as much as two years before the soil is usable again.

Provincial officials reportedly rushed to the site to oversee the rescue work.

(China.org.cn, China Daily March 31, 2005)