Environmental bureau's office is FROZEN after workers blasted anti-smog water cannon at it to try and alter the air quality readings

  • Environmental bureau staff claimed the ice had been caused by burst pipes
  • But investigation revealed the building had been sprayed with a water gun
  • The temperature suddenly dropped after staff's attempt to get rid of smog 
  • Relevant officials have been punished for meddling with air quality results

Staff at a Chinese environmental bureau have been left red-faced after their secret attempt to improve the air quality readings on the monitor went bust. 

It's said staff at an environmental bureau in Ningxia, north-west China, blast their building with an anti-smog water cannon in an attempt to get rid of the smog, but their building was frozen after temperatures suddenly dropped.

The chief and deputy chief of the Shizuishan Environmental Bureau have been penalised for intentionally altering statistics, reported btime.com.

Shizuuishan Environmental Bureau staff sprays water cannon towards its building to clear the air quality around the air quality monitor
A night after, the building was frozen and icicles were formed around the ledge

Shizuuishan Environmental Bureau staff sprays water cannon towards its building to clear the air quality around the air quality monitor (left). A night after, the building was frozen (right)

Pictures taken in early last December show the exterior of the Shizuishan Environmental Bureau in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Icicles can be seen covering the rain shields and ledges of the six-storeys building.

The pictures alerted Ningxia Environmental Protection Department, which launched an investigation in December.

Shizuishan Environmental Bureau claimed it was caused by a damaged drain pipes; however, investigation report stated that local bureau staff had used an 'anti-smog water cannon' to spray water towards the building.

Workers have to clean up the ice around the entrance of the building the next morning

Workers have to clean up the ice around the entrance of the building the next morning

The bureau staff wanted to alter the air quality statistics collected from the monitoring station

The bureau staff wanted to alter the air quality statistics collected from the monitoring station

Investigators believed that the intention was to alter the collected data on the air quality monitor installed in the building.

However, temperatures in Shizuishan have dropped to minus 10 degree Celsius that night, causing the water to freeze.

Ningxia Environmental Protection issued a statement on January 15 to emphasise on the strict control of the air quality detector.

'It is clear to address the surrounding area of the air quality monitoring station should not be disturbed.

We have penalised Mao Junfeng, chief of Shizuishan bureau and Cai Tianmin, deputy chief of the bureau in regarding to this incident.'

The water cannon's designers claim the water mist dispels the pollution particles which are causing visibility problems for motorists

The water cannon's designers claim the water mist dispels the pollution particles which are causing visibility problems for motorists

A truck carrying a cannon blasting a mist of water is driven through Beijing's streets in an attempt to dispel the smog blanketing the city

A truck carrying a cannon blasting a mist of water is driven through Beijing's streets in an attempt to dispel the smog blanketing the city

World's largest air purifier: The 328ft tower is said to be able to filter out toxic chemicals in air

World's largest air purifier: The 328ft tower is said to be able to filter out toxic chemicals in air

Last week, China tested a 328ft tall air purifier in Shaanxi Province in northern China which was designed to clear smog and get rid of toxic air particles.

The tower was claimed to be the world's largest air purifier. Reports claim it could improve air quality within an area of 3.9 square miles, according to South China Morning Post. 

MailOnline contacted the Institute of Earth Environment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, but they said they were not able to verify the details from the reports.