China poultry plant fire turns deadly

Jun 03, 2013

China poultry plant fire turns deadly

A fire broke out at a poultry plant in northeastern China on Monday, which trapped workers inside killing at least 119 people, official’s report the death toll is expected to rise. Several others were also injured in the blaze and are being treated in hospital. Some reports say that a fire broke out after a shift began around 6a.m.

The plant was established in 2009, produces roughly 67,000 tons of processed chicken a year and employs about 1,200 people. The plant is located about 800 kilometers away from China’s capital, Beijing.

Though it's unlikely to have an impact on China's chicken supply, the accident came as chicken producers were seeing sales recover after an outbreak of a deadly new strain of bird flu, H7N9, briefly scared the public in April and early May.

The fire is unlikely to have an impact on China’s chicken supply, as the country begins to recover from the outbreak of a new strain of bird flu (H7N9) that occurred in April and early May.

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.