China ? The head of a Chinese chemical company blamed for a toxic spill that poisoned a major river and strained relations with Russia has been removed from his post, the company said Monday.

The announcement came as the benzene spill on the Songhua River flowed toward Jiamusi, a northeastern city of 480,000 people that shut down its water plant Friday as a precaution against contamination. The slick reached Jiamusi today and was expected to reach the Russian city of Khabarovsk next week.

A report on a Web site run by China National Petroleum Corp. said Monday that Yu Li, general manager of the subsidiary Jilin Petrochemical Co., was among managers who “had responsibility” for the Nov. 13 benzene plant explosion and spill, and would lose his position.

The accident killed five people and dumped 100 tons of benzene and other chemicals into the Songhua, creating a 50-mile-long slick.