A Chinese factory has been fined a record one million yuan (128,000 dollars) over an infamous toxic spill which cut off water supplies to millions of people and even reached Russia, state media said Thursday. Jilin Petrochemical, a subsidiary of the Petrochina group in the northeastern province of Jilin, was fined the maximum amount allowed by law, the Beijing Morning Post said.
About 100 tonnes of carcinogenic benzene poured into the Songhua river after a huge explosion in November 2005, causing an 80-kilometre (50-mile) slick and raising benzene levels to 108 times national safety levels.
The government only announced the severe damage caused by the pollution 10 days after the November 13 blast , following repeated denials from officials that there had been any major environmental impact.
Millions of residents spent days without water supplies, closing schools and offices and prompting panic buying, with authorities having to truck in water to deal with the emergency.
