The local government of Wanzai County, where the fatal explosion took place on December 30, has already advanced 7 million yuan (US$843,000) to the insurance company for distribution to the families of the victims. The company could not immediately raise such a large amount of cash.

The explosions killed at least 14 people and left 61 injured.

"We are making an effort to comfort and compensate those families affected by the blast," said Xu Xuezheng, an official with Jiangxi's provincial work safety office.

The county's insurance company is busy working on the compensation application lodged by destroyed Panda Fireworks Co, which is owned exclusively by a Hong Kong entrepreneur, Xu told China Daily in a telephone interview.

The fireworks company, the biggest one in the county, had insured its workers and property, but compensation will only be negotiated after careful examination of the site, Xu said.

"Those 61 injured are hospitalized and in stable condition," Xu said.

Xu reiterated that unheeding operation by a female worker, who was killed in the accident, was the cause of the blast, although some media raised doubts about the preliminary conclusion.

"The deceased worker, Pan Xiaohua, accidentally ignited explosives while filling fireworks and that's the conclusion reached by authoritative organizations," Xu said. "But we are still conducting further investigations."

The media also have been criticizing local authorities for reportedly physically barring reporters from interviewing patients and local residents.

(China Daily January 7, 2002)