The death toll in a fireworks factory explosion in northeast
China's Shuangmiaozi Town?Tuesday morning rose to 36 as of
Tuesday night as an investigation team dispatched by the State
Council, the central government, arrived at the scene.
Wang Dexue, head of the team, urged the local government and
health department to spare no efforts in rescuing the injured while
shutting down other similar factories that do not meet production
safety standards.
Another 44 injured people, including 18 seriously wounded, were
being treated in local hospitals.
The factory locates in Shuangmiaozi Town of Tieling City in Liaoning
Province. The blast at 9:50 a.m. Tuesday flattened the
factories' two workshops and tore apart the roof of the four-story
office building.
Local government officials said the dead were all workers at the
factory, which had been open just three days.
Police have ordered the arrest of Chen Haoyan, the legal
representative for the factory. Chen set up the factory in
August.
The factory had a business license but no license for production
safety, according to the police.
The cause of the blast was under investigation.
(Xinhua News Agency December 31, 2003)