SHIJIAZHUANG: Multiple former leaders of Qianxi county in Tangshan, Hebei province, have been detained for investigation over leading or participating in the false reporting of a production safety accident that occurred in September last year, leading to 14 deaths and one missing, according to an official statement.
The Hebei provincial emergency management department recently released an investigation report on the flood at an iron mine that occurred on Sept 2.
The mine was not constructed according to its design, which led to the accident, said the report, confirming that it was a production safety liability accident.
Officials from the county falsely reported the accident and hid the number of trapped workers after it occurred.
Li Wei, head of the mine, reported to Guan Shengwei, former party chief of Qianxi county’s Taipingzhai township, after the accident that 15 people were trapped.
The then county party chief Cai Zongjian, county head Shi Jingman and deputy head Tang Haisheng learned about the accident in the afternoon on Sept 2.
Cai, Shi and Tang decided to report to the Tangshan city government that only two people were trapped.
According to the investigation, 20 people including the head of the mine and construction team and the party chief of the township were detained by police. — China Daily/ANN
