September 15th, 2002
NAN JING'S FOOD POISONED, OVER 100 DEATHS
Tong Shen, Nanjing, China awaken to the wails and whistles of ambulances and polices. Hundreds of residents who dined at a local "restaurant" (place where you eat simple breakfast/lunch like soya drink, sticky rice...etc) experienced stomach aches, diarrhea, vomit, and bleeding from eyes, noses, mouth, and internal organs. From the grave symptoms of the victims, it is guessed that they were poisoned with a poison used to kill rats, also known as the "three steps and then fall" poison which has been banned in China.
The number of people who suffered from this poisoning is reported by very believable sources to be more than 600 people. Reported deaths was over 80, but the number is rapidly increasing. The reason of this mass murdering is not known, but Qiang Ze Min has already ordered an all-out investigation. The owner of the "restaurant" has been arrested and under interrogation. ( I don't think he's stupid enough to do sth like that at his own restaurant, unless he's simply insane.) According the local residents, this restaurant's food supply comes from a food company who is also the main food suppliant to the local schools and other departments. Most of the victims are local students and construction sites worker. Some thirty army men from a nearby military dorm also suffered from poisoning.
Victims were sent to over ten hospitals in Nan Jing and one hospital alone reported over 20 deaths and the military hospital reported over 15 deaths. The town's water supply was cut off until late afternoon for investigation. Shops, restaurants, entertainment places were desolate this Saturday. Families, relatives, and friends of victims crowded around hospitals in search of their beloved. One uncle ran to hospitals after hospitals searching for his niece and finally found her, fortunately, still alive, though her classmates were already dead. She had only consumed a small amount of food her classmates had shared with her.
There is no counter-poison for this rat poison, and doctors can only do what they can by cleaning their stomachs and what little else they can. Some with only a slight dose were recovered quickly and have already left the hospital, but others less fortunate were carried out, reported dead. The whole town was littered with vehicles driving to hospitals, cars were stopped and ordered to drive victims to hospitals. The earliest victim discovered was around 6:00 am local time, but because it was a Saturday, government departments were closed and it took a longer time before actions were taken. Ambulances were reported to have arrived only around 8:00am local time. But many consider it fortunate that it was a Saturday and schools were closed so less students were eating breakfast at that time.
I'll update ASAP if there are any news. Meanwhile, let us mourn for the families and friends who have lost so much within one morning. Let us empathize with them, and all those in the world who must experience the unfairness of men's evilness. Let us reflect upon our actions and attitudes.
September 16th, 2002
FOLLOW UP ON RAT POISONING IN NANJING
A Chan-named male in his thirties had been arrested and is under interrogation. He was a former employee at the food supplying company who was fired. It is believed that he was trying to get back at the owner of the company by poisoning the water source. The deaths toll has not been reported, but more than 200 people are in grave conditions, but others with minor doses have left for their homes. The effects of rat poison is serious and has lasting effects. The brain nerves are damaged, and victims may been paralyzed forever.
Others have more radical speculation that it was a political massacre, since medias, hospitals, everyone has been ordered not to reveal any information on the situation. Residents are angered by this silence and are demanding for more information on their families and friends.
September 16th, 2002
Tomorrow will be 9-1-8 in China, September 18th, a day of remembrance. It is the first time that the whole nation will be spending a moment of grief together to remember the Japanese Invasion decades earlier. At 9:18 pm throughout the country, a siren will sound for one full minute to remind citizens of this humility and mourn for those who were innocently murdered.
September 22nd, 2002
FOLLOW UP OF NANJING POISONING
The man named Chan was found to be the younger brother of the owner of the fast food restaurant. After a disagreement with his brother, he had left to set up his own restaurant but was not as successful as his brother. Filled with jealousy, when his brother asked him to come back and help out at his restaurant, he decided to make the customers sick and put rat poisoning into the water source and flour. After realizing the seriousness of the situation, he ran away but was intercepted by police officers. Residents are frustrated with government for not revealing any information on the circumstances of the victims.
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