BEIJING: Safety inspections have been ordered across Jiangsu province, after a fire in a high-rise residential building on Friday killed 15 and injured 44 in Nanjing, the provincial capital.
The blaze in Yuhuatai district was reported to the local fire department at around 4:39 am on Friday and was put out by 6 am. The search and rescue operation at the site ended at 2 pm, according to the city government.
Among the 44 injured who were sent to hospital for treatment, two were in critical condition, it added.
A preliminary investigation suggests that the fire broke out in an open area on the ground floor of the 34-story building, where electric bicycles are parked and charged. Further investigations are underway, said Liang Jun, head of the Nanjing Fire Rescue Detachment, at a news conference. Xin Changxing, the provincial Party secretary, and Xu Kunlin, the governor, visited the injured in the hospital on Friday.
Xin called for every effort to provide the best treatment to those injured, help the families of the victims and assist those who had to be evacuated from their homes.
At a provincial fire safety conference on Saturday, governor Xu requested a thorough inspection across the province to detect and rectify fire hazards. A list of possible hazards will be compiled and those found not addressing the problems will be held accountable, he said.
Cities such as Nanjing, Suzhou and Nantong launched the inspection and review drives on Saturday. In Nanjing, authorities will inspect all major buildings including 15,000 high-rise residential blocks and 238 large markets to rectify potential fire hazards, the Nanjing Daily reported. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
