Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, June 20, 2002
Arson Blamed for Internet Cafe Tragedy, Two Teens in Police Detention
The recent cyber cafe fire that clamed 24 lives and triggered a nationwide inspection of Internet cafes is accused to be the result of arson and two suspects are now in police detention, according to local sources. Police were still investigating the case at press time.
The recent cyber cafe fire that clamed 24 lives and triggered a nationwide inspection of Internet cafes is accused to be the result of arson and two suspects are now in police detention, according to local sources.
Police found gasoline traces where the fire started to spread and suspected that the fire was started intentionally.
After learning that two teenagers bought 1.8-liters of gasoline at a gas station near the "Lanjisu" cyber cafe around 23:00 PM on June 15, shortly before the accident, local police identified and arrested two middle-school students.
Police spokesman Zhang Ce said that the suspects were a 13 and 14-year old. Both were frequent school truants and cyber cafe visitors.
The two suspects admitted that they plotted to set "Lanjisu" on fire as revenge for a dispute with the cyber cafe's waiters two weeks ago, Zhang said.
Local sources said that both suspects lived in single parent families and suffered from a lack of family discipline.
Police were still investigating the case at press time.
24 Killed, 13 Injured in Beijing Cyber Cafe Fire
A total of 24 persons were killed and 13 others injured in a cyber cafe fire in suburban Beijing early June 16 morning.
The fire broke out at around 2:40 in the Lanjisu Cyber Cafe located in the No.20 compound, Xueyuan Lu, Haidian District. Beijing's fire department sent fire engines to the scene right after getting the alarm, and the fire was put out by 3:30.