Four company executives were detained for being responsible for the January 29 firecracker blast that left 36 people dead and 48 others injured in central China's Henan Province, Xinhua News Agency reported today.

 

The explosion took place in the storehouse of a closed firecracker company named Lilin, in Linqi Town of Linzhou City, leveling a nearby temple where people were holding holiday celebrations.

 

Four of the eight seriously wounded are now out of danger while six of those slightly injured have been discharged from hospital.

 

The company had been closed due to illegal operation, but there were still firecrackers in the storehouse.

 

Investigators announced yesterday that they had found the blast was caused by three village kids playing firecrackers at the gate of the storehouse. One of the kids threw a burning firecracker into the storehouse through the ventilation hole, directly detonating the firecrackers and fireworks stored inside.

 

However, the investigators said that inadequate management of the storehouse is also an important cause of the deadly blast.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2006)