Chinese Premier Calls For Nationwide Fire Watch ����Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has called for the whole nation to be vigilant in order to eliminate the risk of fires and that preventative measures be increased during the cold winter months to nip the problem in the bud. ����Figures released by the Ministry of Public Security show that since last November the country has had 23 big fires that had killed 44 and injured more than 70, causing a loss of RMB$80 million yuan (nearly US$10). ����Now the ministry is to launch a nationwide inspection program to uncover the hidden dangers in super markets, hotels and entertainment centers before Spring Festival, the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls in mid-February. ����According to analysts, the surge in the number of fires indicates that many Chinese are so busy making money that they have no time to pay attention to safety. ���� ���� HomeNews 1999-01-20 Page1 Full Story in Chinese