Would-be thief arrested for setting fatal fire

A man in Gutian county, Fujian province, was arrested by police for setting a house fire that killed seven people and injured another four, Southeast Express reported on Thursday.

Surnamed Qiu, 44, a farmer in the village of Kengli, went to rob a residential house in the county seat at about 3 am on Dec 24, 2013. He was angry when he found nothing to steal and set the house on fire before running away. The fire killed seven people and injured another four who were sleeping in the house at the time.

Qiu was caught by police at noon on Feb 16.

Qiu confessed to police that he went to the house to steal and set the fire, and the case is still under investigation.