Toxic leak kills 2 at China mine

Two persons died and six others fell ill when a toxic gas leaked at a ferronickel mine in northwest China today.

A Cyanogen sulfide leak was detected at Yuanshishan ferronickel mine in Ping'an county of Haidong City in Qinghai province, the provincial safety administration said in a statement.

The miners who fell ill were immediately rushed to area hospitals by rescuers, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Cyanogen gas is colourless with a pungent odour. It can lead to headache, nausea, loss of consciousness, convulsions and death, if inhaled.