3 deceased suspects in bridge collapse identified

ZHENGZHOU - Police on Wednesday announced the identities of three people posthumously suspected of causing the truck explosion that collapsed an expressway viaduct in central China's Henan Province last week.

The three, who were all inside the truck when the blast happened, include Shi Yanfei, a 34-year-old truck driver; Li Ruidang, the 45-year-old manager of firework producer Hongsheng; and Guo Lianli, a 54-year-old employee of the firm, all from north China's Hebei Province, according to sources with local police.

Their identities were confirmed after DNA analysis of remains found in the truck. They were not included in the list of 10 victims released earlier.

Shi was suspected of illegal transportation of explosives while Li and Guo were suspected of illegal production, trading and transportation of explosives, police said.

According to earlier investigation, a truck explosion caused the bridge to collapse on Friday morning in Mianchi County in the city of Sanmenxia, killing 10 people and injuring 11 more. The vehicle contained about 600 large packages of fireworks.

Ten suspects have been detained by Sanmenxia police for illegal manufacture, trading and transportation of fireworks.

The truck took the fireworks from Pucheng County in northwest Shaanxi Province to Xianxian County in Hebei, in the name of daily commodities.

Further investigation is still ongoing.