Thirty-two officials were disciplined for their involvement in
China's worst bridge collapse, which killed 64 people and injured
22 others last August, according to a government statement issued
on Tuesday.
The accident happened on Aug. 13 of this year when a bridge over
the Tuojiang River in Fenghuang County, central China's Hunan Province, collapsed. The 328-meter-long,
42-meter-high structure was still under construction at the time of
the accident.
"The bridge collapse was a grave man-made accident, according to
investigation results," said the statement.
Ouyang Bin, director of the communications department of Hunan
Province, was one of the 32 officials censored. He was reprimanded
with a notation in his personnel file. Li An, former director of
the department, received an official Party warning that was also
noted in his personnel file. Both these directors received
discipline because the communication department didn't adequately
supervise the construction.
Li Deqi, Party secretary of the communication department of
Hunan Province and director of the road bureau of the province, was
removed from his administrative and Party posts.
Chen Zhibing, chairman of the board of Hunan Road and Bridge
Construction Group, was removed from all his administrative and
Party posts.
Liu Xiaodong, general manager of the Hunan Road and Bridge
Construction Group, was removed from his administrative post and
given a Party warning.
Du Chongyan, the former head of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture of
Tujia and Miao nationalities, was told to assume
"leadership responsibility" for the collapse. The Hunan Provincial
discipline watchdog is investigating another incident involving Du
and he could face combined punishment for the two separate
cases.
The statement said that relevant units and people had received
severe punishment and the Hunan Provincial government was carrying
out a thorough investigation of corruption behind the case.
"Once corruption is identified, severe punishment will be given
to relevant persons according to law," it said.
Earlier this month, the State Council said that 24 people would
stand trial for the bridge collapse.
The Hunan Provincial government is trying to raise public
awareness of production safety. Efforts have been made to detect
hidden dangers in coal mines, roads, fireworks factories and
construction sites.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2007)