The use of illegal glue caused the death of four people in a shoe factory in Wenling city of the mid-eastern province of Zhejiang. Although several workers were hospitalised with poisoning as early as December 2001, the company did not stop using the illegal glue. By 21 January, 2002, 28 workers had been hospitalised with benzene poisoning. Four of these victims died later in the hospital. The case was under investigation.

The shoemaking industry in the city has 2,000 factories and workshops employing 110,000 people.

(Source: China news agencies)

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Online: 2002-01-31