Government officials summoned over deadly blast in Hubei

The Work Safety Committee of the State Council, China's Cabinet, has summoned leading officials with the Hubei provincial and Shiyan municipal governments over a deadly blast that killed 26 people last month.

The explosion occurred on June 13 at 6:42 am at a two-story trade market building in Shiyan following a gas leak that was caused by a seriously corroded pipeline under the building. The accident also injured 138 people.

Among those summoned are officials from Hubei's Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, according to a media release from the Ministry of Emergency Management, where the office of the committee is set.

The accident, the deadliest gas pipeline blast in recent years, had an "extremely bad social impact", the release said.

It said the committee asked the Hubei government to roll out concrete measures to address outstanding safety hazards in key safety control sectors, including gas supply, building construction and hazardous chemicals.

Aside from making major safety hazards a priority in intensified law enforcement work, the province should also bolster its efforts to promote the application of safety control technologies in the gas supply sector and ramp up urban safety monitoring and early warnings, it said.

According to Hubei authorities, 34 officials have been punished for the accident. Among them, seven were removed from their posts, and the others were given disciplinary warnings or other penalties.

The investigation also found that the company affiliated with China Gas, which provides both natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to residents and businesses, was directly responsible for the explosion.

The general manager of the gas company, who is only disclosed as Huang, was among the 11 suspects detained by law enforcement.