A court in east China's Zhejiang Province sentenced two men to prison for setting a fire in January that killed 16 workers and injured five others at their shoe plant.

Legal representative of Taizhou Dadong Shoes Co., Ltd. Lin Jianfeng, 37, received a sentence of five years and six months, said the ruling handed by the Wenling City People's Court.

Lin Zhenjian, 34, shareholder of the plant and Lin Jianfeng's brother, was sentenced to five years in jail, according to the ruling.

The court found the plant had used a steel shed as a workplace, breaking fire control regulations. They did not report to authorities for approval.

The brothers confessed at the court, which was open on Monday.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of Jan. 14 at the plant in Yangjiawei Village of Wenling City, leaving six men and 10 women dead and five others injured. More than 20 people were rescued. Total economic losses reached 362,640 yuan (59,085 U.S. dollars), according to the ruling.

Later after the fire, Lin Zhenjian was summoned by police and Lin Jianfeng turned himself in on the same day. The brothers compensated the victims' families and paid treatment fee for the injured, totaling 16.58 million yuan.

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