Deadly cost of lax supervision

An explosion at an unlicensed restaurant in East China's Anhui province on Saturday, which killed 17 people, 14 of whom were students, has revealed the management's ignoring of safety risks and a lack of basic government supervision.

The blast came minutes after a gas cylinder caught fire at a small restaurant rented by a couple in Wuhu in Anhui province. China Central Television said the restaurant had been operating for almost two months without a business license.

We extend our condolences to the families of those that died, and hope that the necessary lessons will be learned. We also hope that those who failed to fulfill their responsibilities will be held accountable.