Man executed for killing 18 in a karaoke bar

A man who started a fire in a karaoke bar, killing 18 people in Qingyuan of Guangdong province, was executed on Tuesday, according to sources with the Guangdong Provincial Higher People's Court.

Liu Chunlu, 33, a native of Yingde, a county-level city in Qingyuan, was convicted of intentional arson last year, resulting in several deaths and big economic losses, according to the local court.

Liu arrived in the karaoke bar for singing and drinking with some friends at night on April 23 last year. He became angry after a female staff member at the bar rejected his advances.

Liu went to his motorcycle parked by the entrance of the bar and disconnected its fuel pipe and spread gasoline around on the ground before using a cigarette lighter to set the fuel ablaze.

Flames quickly spread into the karaoke bar and engulfed other motorcycles, blocking the exit of visitors inside.

A total of 15 men and three women were killed in the fire while another three were injured. Liu fled the scene but was arrested the next day.

The Supreme People's Court gave the final ruling in September last year, upholding the death sentence given to Liu by the Guangdong Provincial Higher People's Court.