Eleven charged with dereliction of duty over Tianjin blasts

Chinese prosecutors have formally detained 12 people over deadly blasts in the northeastern city of Tianjin this month that killed at least 145 people, and accused 11 officials and port managers of dereliction of duty or abuse of power.

The huge explosions in the world’s 10th busiest port injured hundreds and left 28 still missing, causing widespread damage over huge swathes of the Binhai New Area of the city.

China's top procuratorate identified 11 officials who it said had failed in their oversight of Ruihai International Logistics, which used the warehouse to store and transport dangerous chemicals.

There are widespread suspicions about links between the company and local government officials.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Public Security said police detained 12 suspects. These include Yu Xuewei, chairman of Ruihai International Logistics, vice- chairman Dong Shexuan, and Zeng Fanqiang, an employee with a safety evaluation firm suspected of illegally helping Ruihai acquire safety evaluation papers.

Toxic chemicals

Hundreds of tons of highly toxic sodium cyanide, along with other hazardous chemicals, were being stored at the warehouse before the August 12th explosions, city officials have said.

Authorities are still trying to clean up the huge toxic disaster zone at the explosion site, which has been sealed off.

News of widening crackdown among officials in the wake of the deadly explosions came on the day after the ruling Communist Party sacked the head of the work safety regulator, a former vice mayor of Tianjin, for suspected corruption, although it did not make an explicit link to the chemical blasts.

There is growing public anger over the explosions, which have raised questions about China’s industrial safety record as well as its ability to deal with emergencies.

Every week seems to bring a fresh tale of woe, either involving a mining disaster or a factory explosion.

Thousands of dead fish are said to have washed up not far from the blast site, evidence of how difficult it will be for Chinese president Xi Jinping to convince the people that authorities will learn the lessons paid for with blood.

Polluted for years

So many dangerous chemicals were stored at the site that there are fears that land and local waterways may be polluted for years to come.

The Ministry of Public Security said local government departments, including transportation management authorities, production safety regulatory agencies, and land and resources authorities, are accountable for the explosions.

Also, customs personnel of the Tianjin Customs District were found to have been slack and irresponsible in supervising the illegal dangerous 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.

Separately, inspectors have given 11 of the 12 apartment buildings worst hit by the explosions the all-clear for safety, according to local authorities.

– (Additional reporting: Reuters)