Officials acknowledge 6 deaths at Games sites

Beijing's municipal government said yesterday six construction workers had died during the building of Olympic venues - the first time senior officials have admitted to any deaths at the 32 sites.

During a press conference by the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, senior officials took several attempts to clarify the total number of fatalities. Once they were in agreement, Ding Zhenkuan , the deputy head of Beijing's work safety bureau, said: 'During the past five years of construction on Olympic venues, there have been six fatalities - [including] one in 2006 and one last year.'

Despite the initial confusion, this is the first time officials have publicly admitted any deaths. The admission came a week after international media claimed Beijing had covered up 10 deaths at the centrepiece 'Bird's Nest' National Stadium.

'Two [workers'] deaths occurred at the National Stadium, and their relatives were compensated,' Mr Ding said. There were only four injuries among the 17,000-plus workforce, made up chiefly of migrant workers, he said.

Mr Ding refused to reveal if the full list of injuries and fatalities would ever be made public. If it is accurate, the injury record would make the Beijing Olympics, to date, the safest on record.

The Sunday Times newspaper in Britain alleged last week that more than 10 workers had died in accidents at the National Stadium, citing several unidentified witnesses.