6 dead from suffocation in north China factory

Six people died of suffocation at a factory in the city of Baoding, in north China's Hebei Province, according to local authorities, informed The Xinhua News Agency.

The accident took place around 3 a.m. when a worker at a down-jacket factory in Daxinzhuang Village, Xushui District, fainted while checking the water pump in a scum pool.

Several others fainted while attempting to rescue the first person.

Further rescue operations were conducted, leaving one person out of danger and six others dead, said the district government.

An investigation is being conducted into the cause of the accident.