At 5:30am on 1 November, a vessel carrying 100 tons of hydrochloric acid collided with another vessel carrying sand in the Ezhou section of the Yangtze River in Hubei province. Two crew members were rescued from the water, but the vessel carrying the chemical sank.

By 9am on 4 November, tests taken within a 3km radius of the accident showed that the PH value was between 7.5 and 8.0, within the normal range. The local maritime safety authorities dispatched two boats to salvage the sunken vessel, and had begun an investigation into the cause of the collision.

Hydrochloric acid is used as a chemical reagent in the large-scale production of vinyl chloride for PVC plastic and MDI/TDI for polyurethane. It has numerous smaller-scale applications including household cleaning, production of gelatine and other food additives, descaling and leather processing. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (fuming hydrochloric acid) forms acidic mists. Both the mist and the solution have a corrosive effect on human tissue, with the potential to damage respiratory organs, eyes, skin and intestines.