29 officials punished for underreported fatal explosion in China

A total of 29 officials have been punished as the death toll in a factory blast was intentionally underreported in central China's Hunan Province, local authorities said Tuesday.

The explosion happened on Dec. 4 at a workshop of a fireworks company in Chengtanjiang Township in the city of Liuyang. The initially-released death toll was seven, but the provincial authorities later confirmed 13 people were killed in the accident.

Direct economic loss reached 19.45 million yuan (US$2.8 million).

Liu Fayu, then Party chief of Chengtanjiang Township who ordered concealing the death toll and had some bodies transferred and hidden, has been detained for investigation by supervisory authorities.

Other officials who participated in, turned a blind eye to or failed to find the concealment have received penalties such as being removed from posts, major demerits and intra-Party warnings.

Ten people from the fireworks company have been placed under "criminal compulsory measures" on suspicion of the crime of causing a major safety accident.