China arrests 12 over Tianjin blasts

AFP, BEIJING: Chinese police have arrested 12 people over giant explosions that killed at least 145 people and devastated a swathe of a Chinese port city, state media said yesterday as prosecutors probe 11 officials for neglecting their duties.
The official Xinhua news agency said the dozen formally held include the chairman and senior managers of the firm whose chemical storage facility exploded in the northern city of Tianjin two weeks ago, in the country’s highest-profile industrial accident in years.
Separately, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate said on its website that prosecutors in the city were probing 11 officials for “abuse of power” and “dereliction of duty” over the blasts, which also injured hundreds of people.
In China, formal arrest normally comes after some time in police detention and sees the case handed to prosecutors, with trial and conviction almost guaranteed.

China arrests 12 over Tianjin blasts

AFP, BEIJING: Chinese police have arrested 12 people over giant explosions that killed at least 145 people and devastated a swathe of a Chinese port city, state media said yesterday as prosecutors probe 11 officials for neglecting their duties. The official Xinhua news agency said the dozen formally held include the chairman and senior managers of the firm whose chemical storage facility exploded in the northern city of Tianjin two weeks ago, in the countrys highest-profile industrial accident in years. Separately, the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate said on its website that prosecutors in the city were probing 11 officials for abuse of power and dereliction of duty over the blasts, which also injured hundreds of people. In China, formal arrest normally comes after some time in police detention and sees the case handed to prosecutors, with trial and conviction almost guaranteed.