RSSNewsletterSiteMapFeedback

Home · Weather · Forum · Learning Chinese · Jobs · Shopping
Search This Site
China | International | Business | Government | Environment | Olympics/Sports | Travel/Living in China | Culture/Entertainment | Books & Magazines | Health
Home / China / Local News Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read
Woman arrested for Wenzhou block blaze
Adjust font size:

Local police in Wenzhou, a port city in east China's Zhejiang Province, have formally arrested a woman over a deadly fire that killed 21 people earlier this month.

Zhu Xiuling, the legal representative of the Duoduo Fresh Flower Horticulture Co. Ltd., was arrested on Tuesday over an allegation of having committed a major crime that caused a labor security accident, said a source with the People's Procuratorate of Lucheng District, Wenzhou City.

In a prepared document, the procuratorate alleged that to meet the need for starting up the flower store, in May 2005 Zhu built a loft with a floor space of 400 square meters inside the shop she rented on the first floor of the 28-storey Wenfu Mansion, Lucheng District. She dismantled an indoor sprinkler system and smoke detectors that had previously been installed without having obtained a permit in advance. This formed a hidden safety danger and eventually led to the tragedy.

The fire broke out at about 8:27 AM on Dec. 12 in Zhu's flower shop. It killed two people in the store and 19 others on the second floor who were attending their morning exercise class in a ballroom.

Police detained three people shortly after the fire, including Zhu. It was still unknown whether or not two others, Wu Songdi, board chairman of the Duoduo Fresh Flower Horticulture Co. Ltd., and Shao Yongsen, owner of the Yuanyuan Ballroom, would also be formally arrested and face criminal charges.

An initial investigation found that sparks from an electrical wire in the flower shop set wrapping paper and plastic flowers alight and started the fatal fire.

Rescuers safely evacuated 213 others who were initially trapped in the building where the bottom three floors were for commercial use and the rest for apartments.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2007)

Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read

Comment
Username   Password   Anonymous
 
China Archives
Related >>
- Families of E.China fire victims compensated 300,000 yuan
- 3 detained for Wenzhou apartment block blaze
- 31 people die in two fires
Most Viewed >>
-Winter storms leave Chinese dark, cold, hungry in 'dead cities'
-Millions stranded in holiday havoc
-Taiwan authorities to raise 'referenda'
-Taklamakan Desert experiences record snow
-Charity donations hit 3.2 bln yuan last year
SiteMap | About Us | RSS | Newsletter | Feedback

Copyright © China.org.cn. All Rights Reserved E-mail: webmaster@china.org.cn Tel: 86-10-88828000 京ICP证 040089号