China's top work safety watchdog dispatched a task force Tuesday to investigate a fire in central China's Henan Province and punish those responsible.
Sun Huashan, deputy director of the State Administration of Work Safety and head of the task force, pledged to discover the cause of the fire, which killed 38 people and injured another six at a rest home Monday night.
"We will severely penalize authorities and individuals responsible for the fire and try to prevent similar disasters from happening again," said Sun.
The official also promised timely disclosure of the progress of the investigation.
The Ministry of Public Security held an emergency video conference Tuesday evening to deploy safety work after the Henan fire.
"We must draw profound lessons from the fire, paid for with blood, and always place the safety of people's lives and property on the top priority," Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun told the conference.
Guo, also a State Councilor, urged the public security authorities to respond quickly and eliminate potential safety hazards in schools, kindergartens, rest homes, expressways, mountain roads and tunnels.
"Any problem or potential danger should by no means be neglected," he said.
A deadly fire at a senior care facility that claimed the lives of 38 elders in central China highlights the challenges faced by the country's growing aged population.
