President urges all-out rescue work after Ningxia blast

President Xi Jinping has urged all-out efforts to rescue those injured in an explosion on Wednesday at a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and ensure their proper medical treatment. He has also instructed authorities concerned to enhance safety measures nationwide to prevent a rerun of the tragedy.

Liquefied gas leakage reportedly triggered the blast around 8:40 pm at the Yinchuan restaurant on the eve of the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday, injuring at least 38 people, 31 of whom died despite timely medical attention.

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, instructed local authorities on Thursday to comfort the families of the deceased and the injured, and promptly identify the cause of the blast.

Those responsible for the incident must be held accountable in accordance with the law, he said, emphasizing that lessons should be drawn from the tragedy.

Xi said that governments at all levels, along with related departments, must pay high attention to ensuring people's safety. They must identify and rectify all risks and hidden dangers, he added.

To prevent further serious safety incidents and to protect people's lives and property, he directed authorities to conduct an overhaul of potential safety problems in the workplace at an early date and enhance safety supervision of key sectors and industries.

Following Xi's instruction, a joint working group of central government departments, including the Ministry of Emergency Management, has been sent to the spot to monitor and guide the handling of the incident.