Twelve farmers found dead in a plastic tent in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were killed by carbon monoxide from wood burning, police said Thursday.

A total of 14 farmers were illegally digging licorice root, a medicinal herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, in Bachu County, local police said.

A resident found them lying in the tent with no movement around 4 p.m. Wednesday and alerted police.

Rescuers rushed to the site and found 12 dead and two other in a coma.
The two survivors were receiving treatment at a local hospital and were out of critical condition.

Police said the poisoning occurred around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

(China Daily, December 7, 2007)