China reports fewer fires this year, steps up flood rescue readiness

BEIJING -- China had received reports of some 452,000 fire incidents this year as of June 14, down 17.8 percent year-on-year, the National Fire and Rescue Administration said Wednesday.

Fire and rescue teams across the country made 11.996 million personnel deployments and 2.193 million fire and rescue vehicle deployments in response operations during the period, the administration said. They rescued about 88,000 trapped people.

Wang Tianrui, spokesman for the administration, told a regular news conference that an analysis of investigations into relatively serious fire accidents this year showed several notable risks, including frequent residential fires and a relatively high proportion of electrical fires.

Since the start of this year's flood season, many parts of China have experienced sustained heavy rainfall, with urban water-logging, landslides and mudslides occurring frequently.

Xiong Wei, deputy head of the administration's special disaster rescue department, said 5,400 water rescue specialists have recently been selected from fire and rescue teams nationwide and stationed at six national regional emergency rescue centers for rotational training and duty, ready for deployment at any time.

China's national comprehensive fire and rescue team will continue to closely monitor the flood-control and disaster-relief situation, strengthen preparations in forces, response plans, equipment and supplies, and make every effort to protect people's lives and property, Xiong said.