China's work safety chief detained for alleged graft in midst of Tianjin blast fallout
Investigation comes as the city remembers those who lost their lives in tragedy
The mainland's top work safety official, who was overseeing the emergency response to the Tianjin blasts, was put under investigation for alleged corruption on Tuesday. But it was not clear if his detention was linked to the explosions that killed at least 114 people in the port city.
The website of the graft-busting agency, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said Yang Dongliang, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, was suspected of "violations of party discipline and the law", a euphemism for graft.
The news came as a shock to many as Yang, a former deputy mayor of the city, had been overseeing the rescue efforts since the blasts last Wednesday. On Monday he attended a meeting of the State Council's rescue task force.
Meanwhile, mainland media revealed 10 controllers and executives of Ruihai International Logistics, the operator of the warehouse where the blasts occurred, had been in police detention since last Thursday.
Read more: Tears as Tianjin mourns victims of warehouse blasts in commemoration ceremonies across city
Among those detained were Yu Xuewei, a former senior executive of Sinochem Tianjin, and Dong Shexuan, son of the former head of Tianjin Port Public Security Bureau, Caijing reported.
Ruihai's temporary permit to handle hazardous chemicals had expired in October 2014, and it did not obtain another permit until June this year, mainland media reported.