Three people have been detained for a restaurant fire that claimed 11 lives in northeast China's Liaoning Province, local police said Sunday.

 

The fire broke out at 7:50 PM on Saturday, engulfing the Baixinglou Restaurant in Liaoning's Chaoyang City, and was extinguished by 9:00 PM.

 

The victims include diners and staff in the restaurant. Another 16 people were injured, and are currently in stable condition at two local hospitals where they are receiving treatment.

 

A 27-year-old restaurant cook Wang Yonghai, restaurant manager Zhang Chaohui and chief cook Wang Zhidong have been detained, said Zhang Minghua, deputy director of the Chaoyang Municipal Public Security Bureau.

 

Wang Yonghai was blamed for improperly handling an oven which has not been put into use in the kitchen and starting the fire, Zhang said.

 

Local police also brought three other people, including board chairman of the restaurant Li Yang and two other cooks in for questioning, Zhang said.

 

The managers of the restaurant are now discussing compensation with the victims' relatives and local authorities.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2007)