Poisoned paint fears addressed after renter dies in eastern China
Popular online rental platform offers free air checks, refunds after man’s death blamed on formaldehyde levels in his flat
A popular online flat platform has moved to reassure renters after a man’s death in eastern China was blamed on high levels of formaldehyde in the paint of his rented home.
The 37-year-old man, surnamed Wang, died in July of leukaemia after living in a flat rented from the platform Ziroom in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, for two months.
His widow launched a legal action claiming his illness was caused by high levels of formaldehyde found in the paint. The case is due to be heard on September 27.
Ziroom responded to the incident on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like service, on Saturday, saying the company would cooperate with law enforcement and communicate with the family accordingly.
The Beijing News reported on Monday that Zuo Hui, the board chairman of Ziroom’s parent Beijing HomeLink Real Estate Brokerage and a shareholder of Ziroom, said on his WeChat Friend Moments that the company would take all criticism and shoulder all responsibility. This could not be independently verified by South China Morning Post.