Mainland Chinese authorities end search for missing from massive Tianjin warehouse explosion
Authorities put final number of fatalities at 173 after nation's worst industrial tragedy for years
Mainland authorities ended the search for the remaining eight missing in massive chemical warehouse explosions in Tianjin last month, setting the final death toll at 173 in the nation's worst industrial disaster in years.
The announcement on the city government's microblog said there was no hope of finding the eight people, and the court would now start issuing death certificates.
"After thorough investigations by all parties, it is certain that there is no possibility of survivors," said the statement, posted late on Friday night.
The eight include five firefighters, underscoring the explosion's status as the worst ever disaster for mainland first responders, more than 100 of whom were killed, including police officers. A total of 104 firefighters died.
Investigations into the August 12 blasts at the Ruihai International Logistics warehouses showed they were located closer to homes than permitted, and stored much more hazardous material than authorised, including 700 tons of highly toxic sodium cyanide.
A series of massive explosions late at night shattered windows and tore facades off buildings, while launching debris including heavy steel storage canisters into nearby communities with the force of artillery shells. Disgruntled homeowners have held numerous angry protests demanding the government buy back their flats.
Authorities are investigating malfeasance in the issuing of permits and regulation of the company, and have detained 12 of its employees and executives. They include the primary owner, who was on the board of a state-owned company and kept his ownership of Ruihai hidden as a silent partner.
Also detained as part of the investigation were 11 government officials, while the head of the government body in charge of industrial safety, Yang Dongliang, has been placed under investigation for corruption.
Authorities say they have sealed all waterways leading out of the blast zone to curb cyanide contamination as teams clean up hazardous debris.
According to the Tianjin Environmental Protection Bureau, water samples inside the disaster zone have shown levels of cyanide as high as 20 times above safety levels. No cyanide has been detected in nearby seawater or areas outside the 3km quarantine zone.
