The family of a woman in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, who died suddenly on Friday, say she was killed by overwork.

He Chunmei, 30, from Southwest China's Sichuan Province, started working at the Guangzhou Huaxin Handicraft Factory in February.

At 7 AM on Friday, she collapsed and fell into coma after working for 24 hours. Her younger brother, He Maojun, who works at the same factory, sent his sister to a local hospital, but she died at 9:30 AM.

He Maojun said his sister was very healthy and usually left work at about 8 AM.

Because the factory is soon moving to new premises, workers had to work round-the-clock to finish orders.

"Since October 24, all of us have had to work more than 15 hours a day," said Zhang Zujun, one of the dead woman's colleagues.

He said his sister worked more than 20 hours a day at the end of last month, and said she was very tired in the days before her death.

He Maojun says he did not persuade his sister to stop working so hard because her salary, 1,000 yuan (US$123) a month, was vital for their family's wellbeing.

The hospital has not told the family the official cause of He's death. He's family and her fellow workers believe she died of overwork.

Wu Ziyin, deputy director of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Labour and Social Security said that they are investigating the case.

He's family is negotiating compensation with the factory.

(China Daily November 3, 2005)