By Wang Hongyi (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-19 07:20

SHANGHAI: Water supply worker Zhu Ping's efforts to help people in disaster-struck areas cost him his life.

The 47-year-old sales manager for the Yingtan Sanchuan Water Meter Co in Jiangxi province died in a traffic accident on Feb 10, the fourth day of the Chinese New Year, while delivering water supply equipment to snow-hit Guiyang in Guizhou province.

"He was very devoted to his work. He dealt with every task as best as he could," Gao Gebin, a long-time colleague of Zhu, told China Daily yesterday.

"I asked him to stay, but he refused," Gao said.

"He said he wouldn't feel at ease if he didn't travel to the disaster areas."

Zhu had worked for the company for 30 years, mainly in sales in the northwestern part of the country.

He was known to have told his junior colleagues to always help those in need.

Zhu lived up to his own expectations.

Many water meters needed to maintain the water supply were damaged in Guizhou due to the cold weather.

In response, the Ministry of Construction asked suppliers and manufacturers in other provinces and municipalities to send replacements.

Workers at the Yingtan Sanchuan Water Meter Co responded by packing 10,000 meters in a single night and readied them for transport to the affected regions.

"Zhu decided to escort the goods to the areas himself despite the dangerous conditions," Gao said.

On Feb 9, Zhu and his colleague Zhao Shuifa, together with drivers Huang Shengjie and Chen Zhiping, made their way to Guiyang.

Disaster struck when their vehicle collided with a car on a slippery mountain road, about 300 km from Guiyang.

Zhu died at the scene.

The other three were seriously injured, where they remain in a serious condition at a local hospital.

Zhu's family members have not yet told his elderly parents of the death of their son.

"We don't want to tell them the bad news yet since they may take it very badly," Tong Baohua, president of Sanchuan Water Meter Co, said.

(China Daily 02/19/2008 page4)