China orders probe into Tianjin blasts as toll mounts to 112
17 Aug 2015 11:34 PM GMT
As Premier Li Keqiang visited <g data-gr-id="36">area</g> today, four days after the blasts, China ordered a probe to find any official negligence involving the company and the firefighters’ initial response.
Nearly 100 people, mostly firefighters, remain missing after the blasts at a warehouse storing hazardous chemicals unleashed fireballs strong enough to light up the night sky as cars and containers came raining down on panic-stricken residents in this major port city home to 15 million people.
Agitated family members of the missing have complained of an information blackout by the government, that also suspended or permanently closed 50 websites and 360 social media accounts for ‘spreading rumours’.Â
During his visit, Li met some of the firefighters as well the injured and reviewed the progress of relief operations.
Meanwhile, China’s main prosecutor, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), said it has begun to investigate whether there is any dereliction of duty involved in the explosions.Â
As of Sunday, no officials nor the company handling the warehouse of <g data-gr-id="35">Ruihai</g> International Logistics Co. Ltd, where the explosions took place on Wednesday, has been held accountable for the explosions, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The SPP will look into possible illegal acts, such as abuse of power or dereliction of duty and deal with those acts which may constitute crimes, it said.
About 722 people have been hospitalised and the condition of 58 of them is said to be critical or serious. An Indian employee of a firm based here was injured and has been treated for non-lethal injuries, officials said.
The explosions were so powerful that only 24 of the 112 recovered bodies have been identified. Officials said fires have been put out and no further explosions were expected.
As many as 85 firefighters and 10 other people are still missing since the blasts shook the area that has also claimed 112 lives so far.
Blasts may cost over $1.50 bn for insurance firms
Chinese insurance agencies are bracing to pay over $1.50 billion insurance claims, perhaps the biggest in recent years, to claimants affected by the massive twin blasts in Tianjin port city in which 112 people were killed and over 720 injured.
Ninety-five people, mostly firefighters are still missing four days after the blasts reported to have been triggered by storage of massive quantities of deadly chemicals like sodium cyanide. Besides the payment of compensations to the dead and injured, Chinese government and the insurance firms would be saddled with payment of huge insurance claims as the twin explosions caused unprecedented amount of damage stretching to several kilometres of storage areas of the port, besides residential buildings.Â
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