Company's illegal practices behind fatal chemical plant blast

CHENGDU - The Ministry of Emergency Management on Tuesday said that a company responsible for a fatal blast in Southwest China's Sichuan province had been involved in illegal production.

The blast killed 19 and injured 12 on July 12 at the Hengda chemical plant in an industrial park in Yibin city. Hengda, registered in June 2015, mainly produces chemical products.

Officials with the ministry said the blast was a production safety accident caused by serious violation of laws and regulations.

A preliminary investigation showed that the company lacked the conditions or ability to ensure safety in production, and production facilities were not installed with adequate safety equipment.

The investigation also showed that the local government lacked safety awareness and relevant departments failed to conduct adequate supervision.

The provincial government organized an investigation after the blast, and a number of suspects have been detained.

Further investigation is underway.