China boss suspended over deaths

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A Communist Party boss has been suspended after failing to stop his leaving party when two people were killed by fireworks, state media says.

Two other people were said to have been injured when a van full of firecrackers exploded at Zhang Zhifang's send-off in the town of Heshang, Jiangxi Province.

The Xinhua news agency said Mr Zhang carried on with the party despite the fatal blast in his motorcade.

The former Heshang party chief was celebrating his departure to a new job.

The organiser of the leaving bash - Li Nong - has also been suspended, according to Xinhua.

And the local Communist Party has banned the use of public funds for farewell celebrations.

Mr Zhang had been getting ready to take up a new post as party chief of Bashan township on 15 July at the time of the explosion.

Families of the dead each received 198,000 yuan (£13,000) in compensation, it is reported.

A disciplinary committee of Chongren County party officials and police blamed Mr Zhang and Mr Li for the accident in a report.

"Zhang breached the party's rule of observing clean standards and self-discipline for cadres," it ruled, adding: "Li organised the ceremony and was responsible for the fatal accident."