Authorities in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, are mulling building a memorial hall at the site of the No 4 Plastics Factory, where a powerful explosion on July 28 killed 13 people and injured hundreds.

Residents repair their homes and stores destroyed in a powerful explosion at a plastics factory in Nanjing on July 28.

The construction of the memorial hall is meant to remind the public of the tragedy and for people to draw lessons from it, said a city government official.

"We have been in discussions to build a memorial hall or a theme museum in memory of the casualties ever since the accident somewhere near the factory site," said a publicity official, surnamed Fan.

Fan told China Daily that items destroyed in the fire, such as buses and pipelines, would be displayed in the hall. Exhibits would also include pictures and video clips of the tragedy.

Details such as the area and the exact location of the project, have yet to be finalized, he said.

The powerful blast rocked the defunct No 4 Plastics Factory in the early hours of last Wednesday. People within a radius of 2 kilometers had reportedly felt a strong shockwave.

The blast took place when construction workers dismantling the factory buildings ruptured a nearby propylene pipeline.

The Nanjing government vowed to build a safer city for its residents in the wake of the accident. It has so far funded 30 million yuan ($4.28 million) for building repairs and compensation, and imposed a strict accountability system concerning the safe use of underground pipelines.

The plan for the memorial hall is also part of the local authorities' efforts to peacefully resolve the matter.

Ye Nanke, dean of the Nanjing Academy of Social Sciences, was quoted by Yangtze Evening News as saying that such a move will prove meaningful.

"It is very common to build memorial halls after accidents, such as the Wenchuan Earthquake Memorial Hall. These structures remind people to pay attention to security and cherish life," he said.

But Yu Hai, a sociologist at Fudan University, found the proposal quite ironic, saying the blast was a result of a combination of low-cost exploitation and a lack of government supervision.

"Enterprises tend to hire workers that are not qualified to dismantle structures in a bid to cut cost", he said. "Such a practice can only lead to catastrophe and the poor are usually the ones who end up paying the price.

"The government has inescapable responsibilities when it comes to such accidents. What is the point of building a memorial hall after a disaster has already occurred?"