Thursday, November 10, 2016
The Court on Wednesday
ruled that Yu Xuewei, chairman of Ruihai International Logistics, paid
bribes to obtain permission to illegally store more than 49,000 tonnes
of sodium cyanide and other highly toxic chemicals at the company’s
warehouse in the city’s port area between 2013 and 2015.
The
court found the management guilty of carelessness and said the company
ignored safety rules and violated municipal planning, as the massive
heart wrenching explosions left scenes of devastation in the northern
port city of Tianjin- a disaster the people of Tianjin haven't still
gotten over, more than a year after it happened.
The
people who died from the explosions included 99 firefighters and 11
police officers, who were not informed of the presence of the 800 tonnes
of ammonium nitrate. Another 798 people were injured, largely because
Ruihai international logistics illegally built its warehouse too close
to their apartments.
The owner of the
company, Yu Xuewei, has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve
while officials and employees were handed jail terms of between 3-7
years for dereliction of duty and abuse of power.
In a video shown on Chinese broadcaster CCTV, Yu told the judges that he regretted his actions and would not appeal.
“I want to use this opportunity to apologise to those who died and were hurt in the blasts and their families, as well as all the citizens of the nation,” Yu said.
The warehouse blast is referred to as China’s deadliest industrial accident the last fifty years.
More photos below...
Source: South China Morning post
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