On September 29th, around 7 am, a hazardous gas poisoning incident occurred in the public restroom of Henan Province’s Hexin Chemical Co., Ltd. in Shancheng District, Hebi City, resulting in 5 deaths and 3 injuries.
According to the Emergency Management Bureau of Shancheng District, Hebi City, it was initially determined that there was a spill of sulfuric acid from a transfer tank, which flowed into the chemical pit on the factory premises, generating toxic gas and causing personnel poisoning.
Some netizens mentioned, “Yesterday evening, there was a strong odor in the old neighborhood, I wonder if it’s related to this incident?” “It seems that a significant amount of sulfuric acid leaked out, otherwise the concentration of toxic gas wouldn’t be high enough to poison the company’s employees!”
Based on statements from many local netizens, “They release toxic gas every night; we can’t even go out in the evening in the old Heshan District. It’s sickening.” “The ordinary people dare not open their windows every day.” “No wonder the houses are cheap; they secretly emit toxic gas at night. Who can stand it?” “That’s why local residents say the air smells bad.”
Information from the company’s official website shows that Hexin Chemical Co., Ltd. was established in June 2008, covering an area of over 140 acres. It is a company mainly engaged in the manufacturing of chemical raw materials and chemical products, with An Long as the legal representative and Chen Xiayu as the sole shareholder. Currently, it has over 300 employees, including more than 50 senior and mid-level technical personnel.
According to a previous article from the propaganda department of Shancheng District Committee, the company’s flagship product, taurine, is widely used as a food and nutritional supplement in products such as infant formula and sports drinks. It is the largest taurine production enterprise in Henan Province, exporting its products to more than 20 countries in Europe and Southeast Asia.
Public records show that in recent years, Hexin Chemical Co., Ltd. has been repeatedly reported for safety hazards. In 2023, the company was included in the list of key environmental monitoring units in Hebi City.
In a report by Henan Daily in June 2018, Hexin Chemical Co., Ltd. in Hebi City was reported to have ignored environmental protection regulations, discharging large amounts of sewage with excessive levels of hexavalent chromium, volatile phenols, and ammonia nitrogen, resulting in 260,000 kilograms of fish suffering a disaster.
Ironically, the day before the accident, on September 28th, Hebi City’s Shancheng District held a meeting to promote safety, stability, and ecological environmental protection.
Many netizens criticized, “Environmental protection has always been a formality; when are the chemical industrial parks not emitting waste gas? It’s wishful thinking to open the windows, even strolling at night has become a luxury, and no one responds when calling the mayor’s hotline.” “The common people cause pollution by burning coal and firecrackers during the Lunar New Year, but the numerous chemical factories in Hebi are not considered polluters.” “Environmental protection experts are just for show; they only take action after incidents occur. What are they doing every day?”