China fires two officials over factory blast

China today fired two top officials and ordered prosecution of 18 people and punishment to 35 others holding them responsible for a blast in a factory in eastern Jiangsu Province in August which killed 146 people.
Guan Aiguo, secretary of the CPC Kunshan municipal committee, and Lu Jun, mayor of Kunshan, were both removed from their posts, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The central cabinet said 18 suspects in the case will be prosecuted and 35 officials will be punished according to the discipline code of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) or code of behavior for civil servants.

Shi Heping, deputy governor of Jiangsu Province, Zhou Naixiang, mayor of Suzhou, Wang Xiangming and director of Jiangsu provincial production safety bureau received official demerits.
The blast on August 2 gutted a wheel hub polishing workshop in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province. Over 70 people were killed outright and 185 were injured.
The total death toll was stated to be 146, according to official data, Xinhua reported.

The blast was a production safety incident arising through dereliction of duty, according to a statement from the State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS) today.
Direct economic losses were estimated at 351 million yuan (57.3 million US dollars).

SAWS also said that Kunshan Zhongrong Metal Products Co, Ltd, where the blast occurred, will be closed down and local authorities will seek the maximum fine for the company.
Some other companies involved in the blast will also be punished. Three company managers were arrested in August.
A preliminary investigation found that the explosion followed the ignition of excessive metal dust in the workshop.