BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of central China's Henan Province has received disciplinary action after being found responsible as a leading official for a deadly fire in Anyang City of Henan.
The fire broke out on Nov. 21, 2022, at the plant of a commerce and trade company in the city, killing 42.
Upon approval of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) investigated Sun Shougang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and vice governor of the province, on his violation of Party discipline in the accident.
The investigations found that Sun, the leading official in charge of emergency management, failed to implement the CPC Central Committee's plans for ensuring workplace safety and security against fire.
He failed to make sure the rectifications of Anyang's shortcomings in coordinating development and safety were fully carried out. He also did not effectively urge municipal authorities to engage in a rectification campaign on fire safety or implement the responsibility system for workplace safety, according to the CCDI.
Sun also failed to notice or cope with the lack of supervision and accountability in the city's fire safety due to some units' shirking of responsibilities.
Sun should thus take major responsibility as a leading official for the accident and be held accountable, the CCDI said.
Based on relevant Party regulations and with the approval of the CPC Central Committee, it was decided to give Sun an intra-Party warning, according to the CCDI.
Investigations into eight people from the companies involved in the fire were also launched by police in Henan Province, and criminal coercive measures were taken. The individuals in question included the controller and legal representative of the commerce and trade company.
A total of 58 public servants, including firefighters, police officers and civil servants, have been strictly held to account by local disciplinary inspection authorities. Three were subjected to detention measures and had their neglect of duty cases transferred to procuratorial organs for examination before prosecution.
The other 55 public servants, including senior Party and municipal officials of Anyang City, were subjected to disciplinary actions such as intra-party warnings and the recording of demerits. ■
