China suspends work at 214 factories after deadly blast
BEIJING (Reuters) – China has shut 214 factories for safety risks in a city where an explosion at an auto parts factory last week killed 75 people, state media said on Wednesday.
Investigators’ preliminary findings show that Kunshan Zhongrong Metal Products Co Ltd, bears the main responsibility for the blast, which also injured 185 people when a flame was lit in a dust-filled room on Saturday.
Based about an hour’s drive from Shanghai, Kunshan Zhongrong polishes wheel hubs for automakers including General Motors Co The blast is China’s worst industrial accident in a year.
“The suspended factories were found to suffer the same safety risk of dust pollution,” the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the government in Suzhou, which includes satellite city Kunshan.
It did not give further details on the factories or what they produced.
Xinhua reported earlier that police took at least two Kunshan Zhongrong representatives into custody.
China’s State Council Work Safety Commission on Monday ordered a safety campaign on factories that process aluminium, magnesium, coal, wood, paper, tobacco, cotton and plastic, Xinhua said.
(Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
