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August 28, 2015

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‘Neglect of duty’ probe in Tianjin

CHINA’S top prosecutors said yesterday that they are investigating 10 officials and port executives in Tianjin for alleged neglect of duty in connection with the warehouse explosions which killed at least 145 people.

The officials under investigation include Wu Dai, head of the Tianjin Transportation Commission, and Zheng Qingyue, president of Tianjin Port (Group) Co Ltd.

Another senior official, Wang Jinwen with the Ministry of Transport, is also being investigated for suspected abuse of power.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate said its investigation had found that Wang “violated the law” to help warehouse owners Tianjin Ruihai International Logistics Co Ltd pass safety evaluations and obtain approvals to handle hazardous materials.

The 11 officials have been placed under “compulsive measures,” which include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest.

According to a separate statement by the Ministry of Public Security yesterday, police have detained 12 suspects in connection with the blasts that devastated the port area.

They include Yu Xuewei, Ruihai’s chairman, Dong Shexuan, its vice chairman, and Zeng Fanqiang, an employee with a safety evaluation firm suspected of helping Ruihai acquire safety papers.

The ministry said the detainees are also suspected of “illegally storing dangerous materials” and added that Zhi Feng, general manager of Ruihai, and its deputy manager Shang Qingsen are under residential surveillance.

The procurators’ statement said local government departments, including transport management authorities, work safety regulatory agencies, and land and resources authorities, are accountable for the explosions.

Customs personnel at the Tianjin Customs District were found to have been slack and irresponsible in supervising the chemical business run by Ruihai, the statement said. The personnel involved are also suspected of illegally issuing customs clearing permits to the company and allowing it to carry out illegal business activities, the statement said.

Tianjin Port is also responsible for the accident because it failed to respond to potential safety risks and “illegal business,” the statement added.

The death toll in the accident stood at 145 yesterday with 28 people still missing.

All the dead have been identified, including 88 firefighters and nine policemen. The missing include 16 firefighters and two policemen.

More than 470 people are still in hospital, including seven in critical and 21 in serious conditions.

The blasts that destroyed the warehouse where large amounts of toxic chemicals were being stored, including around 700 tons of sodium cyanide, happened around 11:30pm on August 12.




 

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