China arrests three over deadly factory blast: Xinhua

China on Wednesday arrested three managers of a Taiwanese-invested car parts factory where a massive explosion this month killed 75 people, state media said. The blast at a wheel hub polishing workshop at Kunshan in the eastern province of Jiangsu also left more than 180 injured. The Taiwanese-invested firm hit by the blast, Zhongrong Metal Products Co., manufactured parts for car companies including US giant General Motors. A preliminary investigation showed the explosion was caused by the ignition of excessive dust from the production process, the state news agency Xinhua said. ‘It was believed that there was a serious dereliction of duty behind the accident,’ it added. Local prosecutors have approved the arrest of Zhongrong's chairman, its general manager and a manager in charge of safety, Xinhua said, citing authorities. In China a formal arrest generally precedes a criminal trial, at which suspects are almost certain to be found guilty. The country has a relatively poor industrial safety record. Some owners evade regulations to save money and pay off corrupt officials to look the other way, according to AFP.