Death toll rises to 21 in China gas leak

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

The death toll has risen to 21 from a gas leak at a steel company in Hebei province
Company leaders admitted trying to underreport the death toll from the accident
Leaders of Hebei Puyang Iron and Steel had said that only seven people had died
The workers were poisoned while trying to put together a furnace

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China

(CNN) -- The death toll has risen to 21 from a gas leak at a steel company in northern China, state-run media reported Friday.

Company leaders admitted trying to underreport the death toll from the accident, which occurred Monday in northern Hebei province, the state-run Xinhua News Agency said.

Leaders of Hebei Puyang Iron and Steel said Monday that only seven people had died, Xinhua reported, citing a government statement.

The workers were poisoned while trying to put together a furnace, the news agency said.

This deaths happened about two weeks after a gas leak at another steel company in the same province killed at least 17 people.

That incident happened at the Ganglu Iron and Steel Company on December 23.