Fires kill 36 people during Spring Festival

BEIJING - Across China 6,597 fires broke out from February 9 to the moon of February 15, leaving 36 people dead and 11 injured, the fire department of the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement Friday.

The fires caused property losses of 58 million yuan (9.2 million US dollars) during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, said the statement.

In accordance with an action plan of ministry, 170,000 firefighters were placed on guard nationwide to ensure a safe festive period for the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year.

During the Spring Festival, the most important occasion for Chinese families to get together, local fire departments sent 47,000 inspection teams to watch out for hidden dangers of fire.

Anti-fire messages were spread among the public through the media and mobile telecom services.

No major fire event, which refers to one resulting in five or more deaths, took place during the period.