A total of 1,144 people were killed and 827 others injured in various fires from January to September this year, resulting in direct economic losses of 2.74 billion yuan (US$406.8 million), the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement released Wednesday.

The ministry said that 7,271 of the disasters occurred in residential areas and 4,894 caused by electric glitches, it said.

Fire casualties in cities were lower than those in rural areas, it noted.

The ministry said it will take more preventative measures and work with other departments on a three-year campaign to address the production of shoddy electrical products and illegal renovations of old buildings.

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