18 held for their role in massive explosion in China

Eighteen people have been arrested for the illegal production and storage of explosives that led to a huge explosion in a resident compound in northwest China that killed 14 people and injured 147 others in October, state-media reported today.
According to Fugu County Procuratorate, the suspects had been using five prefabricated houses in Xinmin Township to secretly produce explosives since August.
Fourteen people died and 147 sustained injuries in the explosion that occured in Shaanxi province, which also completely destroyed the five prefab houses and damaged 58 other houses and 63 cars on October 24.
The procuratorate also asked the police locate the remaining suspects.

Initial investigation had indicated that the explosion could be caused by explosives. The makeshift houses had been built inside a residential compound.
The prefab houses, owned by a local villager, were rented out in September. The owner of the houses is in police custody and an investigation is under way.