China approves investigation report on central China factory fire

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A State Council executive meeting has reviewed and approved a report on a probe into a fire that had killed 42 people and injured two at a plant in central China's Henan Province in November 2022.

The fire broke out at around 4 p.m. on November 21 last year at the plant of a commerce and trade company in Wenfeng District of Anyang City, resulting in a direct economic loss of 123.11 million yuan (about 17.13 million U.S. dollars).

The State Council investigation team identified the tragedy as a production safety accident in which the company staff severely violated laws and regulations. The local Party committee and relevant government departments failed to fulfill their duties.

The team found that company personnel performed welding tasks against the rules in a warehouse on the first floor of the building and shed hot spatter to ignite the packaging of bottled polyurethane caulking sealants, causing the explosion and fire.

The report said a primary reason for the substantial staff casualties was the absence of some fire prevention and suppression facilities in the warehouse and the lack of evacuation efforts when the fire had spread to other flammable items.