A total of 61 public servants have been held accountable for their involvement in eastern China's chemical plant explosion that killed 78 in March.

They were suspected of violations of discipline and law, or dereliction of duty in the accident, according to the provincial discipline inspection and supervision departments.

Fan Jinlong, executive vice governor of Jiangsu Province, and Fei Gaoyun, vice governor of Jiangsu Province, were among those who were held accountable for dereliction of duty.

The local police had also taken criminal coercive measures against 44 people for their roles in this case, including the company controller Ni Chengliang and the general manager Zhang Qinyue of Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. 

In China, criminal coercive measures may include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest.

The explosion happened after a fire broke out in a plant owned by Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical Co. Ltd., in a chemical industrial park in Xiangshui County in the city of Yancheng.

The blast left 78 people dead and 76 others seriously injured.

More: China Chemical Plant Explosion: 78 dead; full impact on residents and environment still uncertain