The police have detained 11 people in connection with a hospital
fire that killed 39 people atthe end of last year in northeast
China.
The president and vice president of the Liaoyuan Central
Hospital, the largest hospital in Liaoyuan City,
Jilin Province, are among the detainees. They face charges of
neglecting their duty, officials with the provincial public
security bureau said on Tuesday.
The two hospital heads did not report the fire to the local fire
department until 30 minutes after the fire broke out, an official
with the provincial fire department said.
A hospital electrician and his superior, the head of the
hospital's logistics department, have been detained for violating
operations rules.
The blaze, which broke out around 4:30 PM on Dec. 15 and was not
put out until 10:00 PM.
(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2006)
