A man has been arrested and charged with arson after a fire in an underwear factory killed seven workers on Jan. 21 in south China's Guangdong Province, local police said Wednesday.

The suspect, surnamed Xie, was taken into custody on Monday and has confessed to setting the fire to "achieve personal ends," police said. No further details were provided.

The fire in the underwear factory in Shenzhen City's Baoshan District killed seven women and injured two others on the morning of Jan. 21.

Eleven people were working in the factory when the fire broke out. Four were rescued.

Police are keeping the boss of the privately-owned factory, which had 16 staff members, under surveillance.

The case is being further investigated.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2007)