Dangerous chemicals sent express delivery

A man surnamed Tang has admitted sending 10 containers of dangerous chemicals by express delivery, causing two couriers to be injured, a court in Minhang District said on Thursday.

Prosecutors said that in November, Tang had packed the containers with 224 kilograms of chemicals, including dimethyl sulfate (used a gas in World War I) and p-aminobenzene sulfonic acid (used to make pesticides).

He asked a company in Jiashan County in Zhejiang Province to deliver them to Minhang, denying that there were dangerous chemicals inside.

Two couriers in the district, surnamed Wang and Zhang, found liquid leaking from one of the containers. The smell brought tears to their eyes but they repackaged the damaged container and kept on working.

However, after they went home, both suffered breathing difficulties and Zhang even passed out. 

Doctors said toxic gas had caused serious damage to Zhang’s upper respiratory tract while Wang also suffered respiratory disfunction though he was less seriously affected. 

Tang said the chemicals were raw materials from his company and that the containers had been received by his staff. 

Further investigations are underway, the district’s procuratorate said.

It said dangerous chemicals were prohibited from express delivery and that delivery companies needed to be told what was in packages and check their contents. 

Ti Gong