70 companies closed after safety inspections

The government has inspected 275 companies dealing with dangerous chemicals in the Tianjin Binhai New Area and closed 70 that have gaps in their safety measures following last week's deadly blasts, said a senior official on Friday.

Zhang Yong, head of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, said at a news conference that the inspections are ongoing and inspections near residential compounds and schools are priorities.

At Tianjin Port, apart from Ruihai International Logistics, whose warehouse exploded, the other two companies approved to store and transport dangerous chemicals - Tianjin Port Sinochem Dangerous Goods Logistics Co and Tianjin Binhai Logistics Co, both State-run - have been closed and the substances are being transferred outside the area, Cao Chunbo, head of the work safety department at the Tianjin Binhai New Area, confirmed with China Daily.