China takes compulsory measures against 11 officials, detains 12 suspects over Tianjin warehouse blasts

AUGUST 27 (CCTV) — China has taken criminal compulsory measures against 11 officials and detained 12 suspects for criminal offenses over the warehouse blasts in north China’s port city Tianjin which killed 139 people and devastated the port area, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.

According to the Criminal Procedure Law, compulsory measures include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest.

The Supreme People’s Procuratorate is investigating the 11 officials over allegations of dereliction of duty and abuse of authority.

The 11 officials include Ren Wudai, director of the Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, Li Zhigang, former deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Communication, Transportation and Port Administration Bureau, Feng Gang, director of the Port Administration Office of the Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, and Gao Huaiyou, vice head of the Tianjin Bureau of Work Safety.

The 12 suspects involved in the massive blasts include chairman Yu Xuewei, vice chairman Dong Shexuan and three deputy general managers of Tianjin International Ruihai Logistics Co Ltd, according to the police.

The State Council has promised a rigorous and thorough investigation into the deadly warehouse blasts.