2 convicted for role in restaurant blast

A married couple who ran a restaurant in Wuhu were sentenced to prison terms for their role in a fatal blast that killed 17 people in October last year, a court said on Sunday. Zhang Baoping and Diao Shancui were found guilty of causing the accident with dangerous substances, and sentenced to seven years and three years respectively. Both lodged an appeal after the verdict. Due to negligence, liquefied natural gas leaked through a disconnected valve from a cylinder, according to the court. An official investigation report said Zhang was to blame as he used worn-out cylinders and did not properly handle the situation when the leak occurred.