Blast should set alarm bells ringing: China Daily editorial

That President Xi Jinping ordered officials to make all-out efforts to rescue the injured in the gas explosion that occurred in Shiyan, Hubei province, on Sunday morning and investigate the incident reflects the magnitude of the destruction caused by the blast.

Although the local government has launched a massive operation to rescue those buried under debris and ensure the injured get proper medical care, a task force comprising officials and professionals from the Ministry of Emergency Management, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the National Health Commission arrived in Shiyan on Sunday not only to lead the rescue work, but more importantly to investigate the incident and determine the causes of the explosion and hold those responsible to account.

The explosion in a marketplace near a residential area has claimed 25 lives and left 37 people seriously injured. Many others have suffered injuries of varying degrees.

Workplace and campus safety incidents have been reported from several places over the past few months, highlighting the urgency of screening for potential safety risks and preventing emergencies, as Xi has urged, to safeguard people’s lives and property, and maintain overall social stability.

The central team is still investigating the incident, but a preliminary probe by the local emergency management department concluded the explosion was caused by a leak in a gas pipeline, which shows why the involvement of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in the joint task force is necessary.

Thanks to the urbanization drive, not only more than 100 million people have shifted from villages to cities but also cities have expanded at a faster pace in recent years. And while all cities may look alike due to their glittering skylines, their underground pipeline networks vary in terms of quality and maintenance.

The rising population density in cities has put additional pressure on the pipelines of gas, electricity, water and telecommunications, which have to be upgraded as and when required and properly maintained. As such, there is also a need to increase public awareness about the safe use of gas, power and water in order to prevent accidents.

The Shiyan explosion should serve as a warning to all stakeholders, including urban pipeline network operators and grassroots governments, that workplace safety regulations and rules, and an accountability system must be strictly followed, so as to nip any potential safety threat in the bud, and ensure those in charge of maintaining and upgrading the pipelines take their duties seriously.

Only if we plug all the loopholes in the workplace and public safety systems can we prevent Shiyan-like tragedies.