Misconduct and dereliction of duty have not been ruled out by investigators, as the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) has begun to investigate the warehouse explosions that occurred in the city of Tianjin, north China.
According to a statement released on Sunday, investigators will consider abuse of power and other illegal acts as possible causes of the explosions that caused devastation in the city. SPP will send prosecutors to the site to assist local authorities in operations and to gather evidence.
No person affiliated with Ruihai International Logistics Co. Ltd. has been held accountable for the accident since the investigation commenced.
Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited the site of the blasts on Sunday afternoon. Aside from visiting the blast site, the premier also paid his respects to fallen firefighters and policemen and issued orders to improve rescue and relief operations.
Li also called on local authorities and experts to continue monitoring the air, water and soil quality within the vicinity to ensure the health of its residents. Accurate findings should be released in a timely manner to avoid the wide spread of rumors.
China's energy watchdog has also ordered safety checks to be carried out on facilities and systems in the area, particularly those that involve the handling of dangerous chemicals.
This includes facilities and warehouses that house fuel tanks, volatile chemicals and explosives, coal pulverizing and natural gas systems, ammonia-producing systems, as well as hydrogen generation stations, according to National Energy Administration.
Prior to the Tianjin blasts, a paraxylene factory located in Fujian Province exploded in April of this year. Since the explosions, concern on work safety and conditions have increased, with the State Council Work Safety Commission expressing alarm in the lack of safety awareness as well as poor supervision and emergency response during such accidents.