2010-04-11 16:40

JINAN - A man who ran an illegal fireworks plant where an explosion killed 13 people last year has been sentenced at an east China court to life imprisonment.

Yang Hongyin was convicted at Dezhou city Intermediate People's Court, Shandong province, of illegally manufacturing explosives.

The explosion, which killed 13 plant workers and injured two, happened in Yangzhuangzi village, of Qingyun town, Qingyun county, on May 2.

Yang, from Yangzhuangzi village, and Wang Qingguo, from Xiaosunzhai village, of Laoling, had organized the unlicensed plant, the court heard.

Wang died in the explosion, while Yang, who was at large immediately after the blast, later gave himself up to police.