A staff member in charge of teaching affairs at a primary school in Peng'an county, Sichuan province, died at home after accompanying four officials from the county bureau of education to drink liquor, Western China Metropolis Daily reported.

On Dec 12, Yang Huaiquan and three other officials from the bureau visited the Zhonghua Primary School, which offered them lunch in the school's canteen.

Seven school staff members, including Duan Weizhong who was in charge of teaching affairs, accompanied the four officials and toasted them. Duan was drunk and sent home by his colleagues.

His wife came home after work around 6 pm and found Duan sleeping. She asked a village doctor to give him a transfusion of glucose and other medicines.

At around 6 am the next day, she noticed that his face was pale and dialed 120, the emergency medical aid telephone number. But by the time medics arrived, Duan was dead.

The county discipline inspection committee has suspended Yang from his duties, Western China Metropolis Daily reported.