On December 26, six villagers fainted in a suspected gas poisoning incident in Shizhai Community, Changsha Town, Kaizhou District, Chongqing Municipality, and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Regrettably, three of them died after rescue efforts failed. The incident took place in a wasteland, and video from the scene showed that the area was full of citrus.
Police and 120 ambulances quickly arrived at the scene and took corresponding rescue measures. In order to ensure the safety of the scene, the cordon has been raised and the surrounding area has been controlled.
According to reliable sources, one accident occurred in a place where a large amount of citrus was piled up, and some villagers suddenly fainted after entering the pit, and other villagers also fell to the ground during the rescue process.
Medical personnel involved in the rescue said they arrived at the scene to find many of the injured unconscious and having difficulty breathing. Medical personnel quickly took emergency measures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and oxygen inhalation, and then sent the injured to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
At present, three people in the accident have died after rescue efforts failed, two of the remaining three people have improved their condition, and one person is still being rescued. According to the preliminary judgment of relevant experts, it is believed that a large number of oranges piled up in the pit produced toxic gases, causing the villagers to faint.
It has also been speculated that the long-term fermentation of pesticides or additives residues on citrus has led to poisoning.
Why does a large accumulation of citrus in a pit cause suspected gas poisoning?
The murderer behind the scenes is actually citrus?
At the scene of the accident, a large number of citrus fruits can be seen piled up in the pit, and it is inferred from the video that these citrus fruits should be buried. A professor at the Department of Food Chemistry at Huazhong Agricultural University said that citrus rotting produces harmful gases, which may have been the culprit in the tragedy.
Citrus is loved for its sweet taste and rich vitamin C. However, when it decays after a large amount of maturity, it may pose a certain safety hazard. Rotten citrus can not only pose a threat to food safety, but also have a negative impact on the environment and ecological balance.
In the process of decaying, citrus releases numerous bacteria and molds. These microorganisms pose a health risk, especially for those with weakened immune systems, and they are more likely to cause health risks, and they can also cause significant pollution of land and water resources.
In addition, corrupted citrus emits harmful gases such as formaldehyde and hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, rotten egg-smelling gas that can be produced and decomposed in a certain environment. The sulfides in citrus are likely to be converted into these harmful gases as soon as they begin to spoil and release.
The dangers posed by hydrogen sulfide should never be underestimated. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can also cause symptoms of poisoning, such as headache, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath and a drop in blood pressure.
If too much hydrogen sulfide is inhaled in the human body, it can induce eye, nose, throat and pneumonia. Under extreme conditions, decaying and spoiled citrus can cause breathing difficulties, coma and even induce respiratory failure and death, which poses a great threat to human health.
At the same time, there is another very important factor that caused the accident, that is, the accident occurred in a semi-enclosed space, which is a "limited space accident".
Limited space refers to the space that is closed or partially enclosed, the entrance and exit are relatively narrow and limited, not designed as a fixed workplace, and the natural ventilation is poor, which is easy to cause the accumulation of toxic and harmful, flammable and explosive substances or insufficient oxygen content.
Although the accident site is a wasteland and seems to be very open, the pit is a typical "limited space", which is easy to cause toxic gas to sink and accumulate. This explains why the villagers fall unconscious when they enter the pit.
Does citrus gas poisoning occur in daily life?
The accident has raised concerns: under what circumstances do citrus produce toxic gases, and is it dangerous to touch and eat citrus in daily life?
First of all, in the case of citrus decay, it is usually the action of bacteria that causes the peel and pulp to spoil, which in turn releases an unpleasant odor. Although this smell does not necessarily imply the presence of toxic gases, we must be very vigilant if citrus rot produces an odor.
Toxic gases can also be produced when other food products are stored for too long or when they become moldy. For example, starchy foods, such as bread, rice and pastries that have been stored for a long time, may release harmful substances such as nitrite and aflatoxins if they become moldy. These substances pose a threat to human health and therefore require adequate attention.
Therefore, there is no danger in daily contact with and consumption of normal citrus, but we still need to pay attention to rotten citrus, especially piles of rotten citrus.
First, clean up in time: For rotten citrus in the home and food market, it should be cleaned up as soon as possible to avoid the toxic gases released by it from posing a threat to people's health.
Second, maintain ventilation: Whether you're dealing with citrus or other fruits, make sure you're well ventilated. This not only avoids the retention of toxic gases in the room, but also reduces the concentration of toxic gases in the room.
Third, strengthen management: for large-scale citrus storage or processing sites, the construction and maintenance of ventilation facilities should be strengthened. In this way, toxic gases can be eliminated in time and the health of staff can be guaranteed.
Fourth, rational use of resources, secondary utilization of decaying citrus: for citrus with a light degree of decay, fermentation or composting can be considered, which can not only reduce the accumulation of waste, but also provide nutrients for plants.
In our daily lives, we should be highly vigilant about the possibility of toxic gases from food decay, but this should be based on a rational and scientific attitude. Food decay is often accompanied by the appearance of odors and the possibility of producing harmful gases. Therefore, when storing fruits, we must be highly vigilant to ensure food safety.