Ten crucial minutes after the mud instilling started at 9:36 am, the air pressure at the mouth of the gas well began to decrease, indicating the cap operation has succeeded.

 

The soaring well has returned to peace after 84 hours' blowout. Firefighters and police formed four safety lines in an area of 5 square kilometers around the gas well.

 

Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin extended his congratulations to cap operation workers, police, soldiers and firefighters participating in the operation.

 

Preparation for the cap operation started Friday evening at the gas field. Reporters around the field have been asked to leave and stay at least four kilometers away.

 

The capping operation, originally set at 10:00 am Friday, was postponed one day for people's evacuation and clearing the gas field.

 

The operation completed successfully at 11:00 am Saturday and expert predicted that there would be no new blowout in capped gas well.

 

The toxic gas started bursting from the well in Gaoqiao Town of Kaixian County at 21:55 Tuesday night, poisoning over 9,000 people to different extent and killing at least 198 others by press time.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2003)