Officials on trial for south China club fire

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-13 00:24

SHENZHEN -- Six local officials have gone on trial for the night club fire in September that killed at least 43 and injured 88 in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province on Friday.

The six defendants, including local police officials Yang Zhouwu and Liu Libiao, fire official Chen Feng and other officials Huang Zhong, Wang Jin and Liu Xinhua, were on trial for crimes of dereliction at Longgang District People's Court in Shenzhen.

The result was not announced on Friday.

The fire broke out at about 10:49 p.m. on September 20 at the "King of the Dancers" club in Longgang District, when more than 300 people were watching a performance in a hall.

An investigation by the police showed that fireworks set off during the performance ignited the flammable material in the ceiling. The fire then spread quickly across 150 square meters.

The nightclub had a hall and 10 chambers with a capacity of 380 people. The hall, on the third floor of a marketplace, was accessible from the staircase by only a narrow passageway, about 10 meters long. Several windows were sealed.

Police said the legal representative of the unlicensed club, Wang Jing who fled after the accident, turned herself in after the general manager, vice general manager, safety officer, technician and performers, were detained.