Candle light causes fatal hostel disaster
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-12-08 12:14

An engineer with Liaoning Provincial Fire Fight Bureau Wednesday blames candle light to fatal hostel fire that claimed seven lives in Shenyang, the provincial capital of the northeastern province.

Xue Chunshan, a senior engineer with the bureau, said that around 1 a.m. Monday, a Xinfeng Hostel waitress returned to her dorm and happened to find the electric bulb in the room no longer useful. So she got a candle from a door keeper, lit it and let it lighting on while going out to wash her clothes. The unexpected fire ignited around 3 a.m. and lighted fabrics around in the dorm.

The waitress, together with her two awaken roommates got panic and escaped the scene.

In all, seven people lost their lives and another five got injured in the blaze of Xinfeng Hostel developed on a basement near the Shenyang Northern Railway Station.

Fire fighters rescued 20 other lodgers trapped underground in the fire, which was extinguished afterwards.

Close

Today's Top News     Top China News
Lenovo buys IBM's PC unit for $1.25 billion         Prices take largest jump since 1997         Testing upgraded for food safety         VW opens new auto venture with FAW         Views on filial piety see change         Death, 'rape' case of teacher in spotlight	Prices take largest jump since 1997       Premier stresses on Sino-EU partnership       China, Italy pen IPR agreement       Death, 'rape' case of teacher in spotlight       Rapid air growth sounds alarm       Animation centres to be created