Twelve farmers found dead in a plastic tent in northwest China's
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were killed by carbon monoxide
from wood burning, police said Thursday.
A total of 14 farmers were illegally digging licorice root, a
medicinal herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, in Bachu
County, local police said.
A resident found them lying in the tent with no movement around
4 p.m. Wednesday and alerted police.
Rescuers rushed to the site and found 12 dead and two other in a
coma.
The two survivors were receiving treatment at a local hospital and
were out of critical condition.
Police said the poisoning occurred around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
(China Daily, December 7, 2007)