Apology but few answers as Tianjin’s mayor finally addresses media - a week after deadly blasts

Tianjin's top official apologised for the city's deadly blasts as he addressed the media for the first time on Monday a week after the explosions killed at least 114 people.

Despite rising anger over the government's handling of the accident, Huang Xingguo , the acting Communist Party boss and mayor of the port city, stopped short of clearing the air on its cause and fallout.

"The accident has led to great loss of life and property. I feel very sad and guilty," he said. "As the leading official of the city, I have an unavoidable responsibility for the accident."

He also said Tianjin would relocate all warehouses for hazardous chemicals to Nangang, a petrochemical base about 25km from the city centre.

Anger over the official response to the blasts has mounted, with residents taking to the streets to demand compensation for their damaged homes and the public pressing for details on the explosions' likely impact.

However, ownership of Ruihai International Logistics, the company at the centre of the blast, was clarified yesterday, with Xinhua reporting that Dong Shexuan, who held 45 per cent of the company's shares through a friend, was the son of Tianjin Port's public security chief. Another shareholder, Yu Xuewei, held 55 per cent through his wife's cousin Li Liang.

The report said Dong and Yu had been detained. Both had made use of their ties with government agencies.