Footage from the site of gas pipe explosion in Shiyan city in Hubei, China on Jun 13, 2021. (Photo by= CCTV via Reuters) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] BEIJING: Eight employees of a unit of China Gas Holdings have been detained by local police after a fatal gas pipeline explosion on Sunday, according to a statement by the Shiyan city government, Reuters reported.
The blast, which killed 25 people and injured 138, ripped through one of the city's vegetable markets that was filled with shoppers and local residents eating breakfast. The eight employees were part of a unit of China Gas, the Shiyan Dongfeng Zhongran City Gas Development Co, one of the suppliers of gas for the city located in Hubei province.
"The safety management system at the company was not rigorous ... and the company did not strictly comply with the rules of pipeline inspections. There were serious faults in the operation of related facilities," the statement said, adding that the incident is still under investigation. China Gas did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Shares in Hong Kong-listed China Gas plunged 9.7 percent on Friday.