Two more bodies were recovered from the debris of a shopping and
office complex destroyed by fire in northwestern China on
Wednesday, bringing the death toll to five.
Rescuers pulled out two scorched bodies at about 6?PM while
searching through the remains of the 12-story building, according
to Zhang Hong, standing vice mayor of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region.
Experts are still trying to identify the two victims.
The fire, which raged through the Doowin International Plaza in
Urumqi for more than 20 hours, left three firemen dead, one injured
and two employees of the plaza missing.
Dai Yiqiang, deputy director of the Urumqi fire control bureau,
believes the two bodies probably belonged to the missing
workers.
The building, which housed some 2,000 items of clothing,
cosmetics, toys, and many offices, will be dismantled as soon as
the investigation process is over, said Zhang.
Top managers with the Doowin group, the parent company of the
plaza, have been requested to remain in the city for investigation,
and the property and accounts of the building have been frozen,
according to local police.
(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2008)