Dozens under "coercive measures" for negligence leading to 73 deaths

Thirty-one people have been put under coercive measures for causing a deadly construction site accident which killed 73 and injured two in east China’s Jiangxi Province in November 2016, CCTV reported Friday.

An investigation led by the State Council concluded the accident was caused by human error and negligence.

Coercive measures can include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest.

The platform for a cooling tower of a power plant under construction collapsed in Fengcheng City on November 24, leaving 73 people dead and two injured and causing economic loss of more than 101 million yuan (US$15.44 million).

The investigation found the on-site management of the builder, Hebei Yineng Tower Engineering Co Ltd, was chaotic and failed to follow protocol when performing demolding work.

Deputy governor of Jiangxi Province Li Yihuang was reprimanded for failing to maintain a safe manufacturing and construction environment.

The credentials and safety production license of Yineng Tower Engineering were revoked.

Construction on the cooling tower is part of an expansion of the Fengcheng Power Plant owned by Jiangxi Ganneng Co Ltd.