Hospital administrator admits to storing explosives
(AP)
Updated: 2006-04-14 15:31
A hospital administrator and his driver in northern China have admitted to
storing the explosives that detonated at the facility this week, killing at
least 31 people, the government said Friday.
Rescuers dig through debris yesterday after an
explosion severely damaged a five-storey dormitory housing medical staff
at Xuangang Coal and Electricity Co. Ltd. in Yuanping, North China's
Shanxi Province. [Newsphoto] |
Wang Jinsheng, the administrator, and his chauffeur, Wang Guohua, gave
themselves up Thursday to police in Yuanping, a city in Shanxi province, the
official Xinhua News Agency said.
Wang Jinsheng said he stored more than 2 tons (1.81 metric tons) of
explosives in the garage of the hospital for use in his private coal mine,
Xinhua said. It wasn't clear if the two men were related, but Wang is a common
surname.
They were detained by police for "illegal purchase, transportation and
storage of explosives," Xinhua said.
Investigators were still trying to determine what caused the explosives to
ignite.
The blast Monday destroyed two stories above the garage and badly damaged
another nearby five-story residence for hospital staff.
|