BEIJING
Chinese authorities have announced plans to build a monument commemorating at least 160 people killed in explosions at a warehouse in the northern port city of Tianjin.
State news agency Xinhua reported Saturday that the Binhua New Area Planning and Land Resources Administration said that a 24-hectare park centered around the monument will be constructed at the site of the warehouse that had been storing hundreds of tons of hazardous chemicals.
The area was rocked by two major explosions Aug. 12 that left 160 people dead -- 96 of them firefighters and 11 policemen.
Eight firefighters and five civilians remain missing, while hundreds of others are still hospitalized.
Primary schools and kindergartens will also be built in the area, according to the Planning and Land Resources Administration, where more than 5,000 apartments have been made available to residents displaced by the incident.
The blasts at the warehouse -- owned by Rui Hai International Logistics Co. – had damaged two nearby residential compounds and scorched more than 3,000 new vehicles in a parking area.
Around 40 substances, including sodium cyanide, potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate were being kept at the site. Inflammable materials accounted for 500 tons and highly toxic substances for 700 tons.
At least 11 officials and port executives have been accused of neglecting the transportation, management and storage of dangerous chemicals following the incident.
The Supreme People's Procuratorate said last week that specific charges included: issuing illegal business licenses, illegally approving the storage of dangerous chemicals, opening a green way to an unqualified company and reportedly indulging in illegal activities.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Public Security, police have also detained more than 10 suspects in relation to the illegal storing of dangerous materials at the warehouse.
