A second attempt to cap a gas leak in southwest China which forced the evacuation of 12,000 people will take place Wednesday but may start as early as Tuesday afternoon if preparations go well, according to the emergency team.

"An alternative plan has been worked out, but detailed operational procedures are still under discussion," said Yang Jian, vice mayor of Dazhou City.

The first attempt to cap the Thursday leak at the Qingxi No. 1 Gas Well in Qingxi Town, northeastern Sichuan Province, was carried out early Monday but failed because of the complicated conditions at the well.

Most of the 12,000 residents who were evacuated following the leak have returned home as local environmental protection authorities said no toxic chemicals such as sulfurated hydrogen and sulfur dioxide, were detected in the air.

"But 800 other villagers still cannot go home because their houses are within a radius of 500 meters of the well, according to Yang.

"Preparations for the second attempt are under way," said Lei Ming, a spokesman of China Petrochemical Corporation, the owner of the gas well.

Xuanhan County, about 500 kilometers northeast of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan, is one of China's major natural gas bases. The country is investing heavily in the development of its rich gas resource.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)