A confined space poisoning incident happened at a biotechnology company in Shouguang, Shandong province, on Saturday, resulting in seven deaths and four injuries, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Sunday.

In a news release, the ministry said that it has dispatched a working group to the incident site to assist and guide the handling of the incident.

Vice-Minister of the Emergency Management Song Yuanming emphasized the need to spare no effort in rescuing the injured, quickly verifying the number of casualties, and ensuring proper follow-up measures, it said.

Shandong authorities have been asked to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident and hold those responsible accountable in accordance with the law and regulations, the release said.