Panjin officials punished after chemical plant explosion

Forty-eight government officials in Panjin, Liaoning province, including the city's Party chief and mayor have been given Party disciplinary and administrative punishments after an explosion at a chemical company killed 13 people and injured 35 others in January last year, according to an investigation report released on Monday.

The punishments vary from educational talk to demotion and removal from the post, the report said.

The incident happened at Panjin Haoye Chemical on Jan 15, 2023, killing 13 people and injured another 35, with a direct economic loss of 87.99 million yuan ($12.34 million).

An investigation by experts and the police has determined that the incident was caused by a major safety accident in production and not by deliberate sabotage or natural disaster.

Local authorities have given a combined fine of 59.57 million yuan ($8.35 million) to three involved enterprises and 11 people. The fines have been paid in full.

Law enforcement authorities have also handed out criminal punishment to 14 people, and the cases have been concluded.