(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-26 06:58

CHANGSHA -- Thirty-two officials were disciplined for their involvement in China's worst bridge collapse, which killed 64 people and injured 22 others last August, according to a government statement issued on Tuesday.

The accident happened on August 13 this year when a bridge over the Tuojiang River in Fenghuang County, central China's Hunan Province, collapsed. The 328-meter-long, 42-meter-high structure was still under construction at the time of the accident.

"The bridge collapse was a severe man-made accident, according to investigation results," said the statement.

The 32 officials include Ouyang Bin, director of the communication department of Hunan Province, who was reprimanded with a notation in his personnel file, and Li An, former director of the department, who was given a Party warning that was also noted in his personnel file, since the communication department didn't adequately supervise the construction.

Li Deqi, Party secretary of the communication department of Hunan Province and director of the road bureau of the province, was removed from his administrative and Party posts.

Chen Zhibing, chairman of the board of Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group, was removed from all his administrative and Party posts.

Liu Xiaodong, general manager of the Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group, was removed from his administrative post and given a Party warning.

Du Chongyan, the former head of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture of Tujia and Miao nationalities, should assume "leadership responsibility" for the collapse. The Hunan Provincial discipline watchdog is investigating another incident involving Du and he could face combined punishment for the two separate cases.

The statement said that relevant units and people had been given severe punishment and the Hunan Provincial government was carrying out a thorough investigation of corruption behind the case.

"Once corruption is identified, severe punishment will be given to relevant persons according to law," it said.

Earlier this month, the State Council said that 24 people would stand trial for the bridge collapse.

The Hunan Provincial government is trying to raise public awareness of production safety. Efforts have been made to detect hidden dangers in coal mines, roads, fireworks factories and construction sites.