Gas leak forces 800 to flee building in China
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Chinese state media say a toxic gas leak caused by chemicals used nine years ago to combat the SARS epidemic has forced more than 800 workers to evacuate from a downtown office building in east China's Hangzhou city.
The official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday that the gas came from a stockpile of chlorine dioxide powder. It was used as a disinfectant in 2003 during the SARS scare but was never disposed of.
Xinhua says white smog filled the 19th floor of the building on Friday morning, causing panic.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Xinhua quoted the fire department as saying no one was injured. It did not say what caused the chemicals to leak.