Society

China vows long-term campaign to nip fire risks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-07-02 22:58

BEIJING - Police and fire departments across China will begin a five-year campaign to reduce losses caused by fire, vowing thorough canvassing of potential fire risks nationwide and faster emergency responses.

"Although we have been continuing to check potential fire risks, the situation remains grave. The campaign is a major decision made by the Public Security Ministry for the country's long-term fire fighting drive," said Liu Jinguo, vice minister of public security, on Friday at a meeting.

According to Liu, the campaign will focus on five aspects: checking fire risks, rectifying fire-prone conditions, promoting fire control knowledge among the public, training fire-fighting personnel and holding drills for fire-fighting teams.

Fire incidents, coupled with inadequate fire-fighting forces and people's weak sense of fire security, have long been troubling the country - especially in traditional festivals when people set off firecrackers for celebration.

On the Lantern Festival in February 2009, fireworks caused a big fire  at the new headquarters complex of China Central Television (CCTV) in Beijing.

A five-star hotel in the city of Shenyang was burned down by fireworks on the early morning of the Chinese New Year on February 3 this year.

Fire departments must send investigation teams within 24 hours after a major fire-related misdeed, such as blocking fire exits or shutting down fire control facilities, is reported, Liu said.

As for other problems reported, fire departments also need to check and deal with them within 72 hours and give feedbacks to whistleblowers.

The ministry also vowed to ban the use of any public places for mass gathering if they don't meet fire safety standards and "severely" punish people responsible for major fire incidents.

Official figures show that the country has more than 370,000 places that require high-level fire safety, but there are only slightly more than 320,000 firefighters and other fire-security workers.