A 52-year-old woman died on Sunday after being exposed to discarded hydrofluoric acid in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, local authorities have said.

A statement from Xianlin subdistrict said the woman, identified only by her surname Tu, came into contact with the chemical at a vacant lot on Sept 9. She was taken to hospital but died on Sunday despite emergency treatment, the statement said.

Police have begun an investigation and the environment department has decontaminated the site,?the statement added.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.