Wenzhou environment chief issues apology

The head of the environment department in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province apologized to the policeman who was hospitalized with pneumonia after saving a teenager’s life from a polluted river.

“I am very sorry for this. And the best way to express apologies is to protect the environment,” said Su Zhongjie, the director of the environment protection department in Cangnan county, Wenzhou.

Su said he will also visit the policeman and that the polluted area is being cleaned up, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The 51-year-old policeman Zhang Guangcong was sent to hospital on May 18 two days after he saved a 14-year-old girl who tired to commit suicide by jumping into the heavily polluted river in Wenzhou’s Jinxiang town.

Zhang was quoted by newspapers as saying he couldn’t open his eyes under the water because it was so dirty.

“I could only depend on my instincts to reach the girl,” he said.

Zhang saved the girl but as soon as he emerged his eyes started to sting and he was sent to hospital, where a doctor said contaminated water entered Zhang’s lungs and caused pneumonia.