Official Gets Death in Bridge Collapse
A court in central China has sentenced a Communist Party official to death for his role in a bridge collapse that killed 40 people and injured 14 earlier this year, official media reported today.
The court in Chongqing sentenced Lin Shiyuan, former deputy party secretary in Qijiang county, to death on Saturday for taking bribes and for dereliction of duty, the People’s Daily said.
Twelve other defendants, including the contractor, engineer, materials supplier and several government officials, received prison sentences ranging from three to 13 years, the newspaper said.
The concrete-and-steel footbridge collapsed over a river on Jan. 4, killing 18 paramilitary police and 22 civilians, including a 7-month-old child.
The bridge collapse highlighted corruption and shoddy construction in China’s public works projects and prompted high-level calls for inspections of public works.
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