2010-11-18 06:36

SHANGHAI - Illegal work practices and lax government supervision were to blame for Monday's fire that killed at least 53 people in a Shanghai apartment block, China's top work safety official said Wednesday.

Police have detained eight people in connection with the fire, which also injured 70 people.

Work by unlicensed welders, multilayered sub-contracting and poor management all contributed to the blaze, said Luo Lin, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, who also leads the investigation panel.

The blaze is believed to have been started by sparks from welding by allegedly unlicensed welders, before quickly spread to bamboo on the scaffolding and nylon nets shrouding the 28-story building on Monday.

A preliminary investigation by a State Council panel found that multilayered subcontracting, which was illegal in China, was behind the fatal fire, said Luo.

Bad management by the contractor and ineffective government safety supervision were also responsible, said Luo.

"The accident should not have happened and could have been completely avoided," he said, promising to thoroughly investigate the causes of the fire and prosecute those responsible according to the law.

The State Council, China's Cabinet, Tuesday ordered a nationwide crackdown on lax monitoring and enforcement of fire-safety measures.

It required extensive campaigns to inspect and remove fire hazards and to educate the public about fire safety and controls, as well as strict implementation of the accountability system for fire accidents.

Inflammable construction materials

Residents say inflammable construction materials are also to blame for the fire.

A resident surnamed Bao, who lives near the building, picked up a yellowish foamy material and lit it with a lighter. The material, which was being installed on the surface of the building for heat retention before the fire, burst into flames within two seconds, giving off heavy smoke and strong odor.

"The inflammable material called polyurethane foaming plastic is what turned the fire into a disaster," Bao said.

The fire that ravaged a building of China Central Television and killed one people in Beijing last year was also triggered after fireworks lit up heat retention materials.

A resident surnamed Zhou, whose wife was killed in the fire, said his wife complained about safety hazards and the workers' behaviors for several times.

"My wife told me the workers piled paint and foam plastics on the scaffold just outside the window. They also smoke on the scaffold and littered cigarette butts around," Zhou said.

"Many buildings under construction in Shanghai, including the one on fire, are covered by nylon nets, which can be lit up simply by a cigarette butt. We must always be vigilant against safety hazards," said community worker Bai Wanqing.