Probe into blasts launched, govt to punish guilty

The probe into the deadly blasts in Tianjin last week has swung into operation and the central government has vowed to punish the guilty, according to a government statement released on Tuesday.

Yang Huanning, vice minister of public security, is chief of the investigation group, and the municipal government of Tianjin, related departments from the central government and experts are also involved in the investigation, the latest statement said.

The group will find out the cause of the blasts and give suggestions on how to punish those accountable for the incident, which has killed at least 114 as of 11 am on Tuesday. At least 57 others remain missing and about 700 are in hospitals.

The government has promised a thorough investigation and tough punishment, the statement said.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate, the country's top prosecutor authorities, has also sent investigators to Tianjin to see if any illegal acts, such as abuse of power and dereliction of duty, was involved.