Trial Opens on Luoyang Conflagration, Case Claiming 309 Lives

Defendants of "12.25" Big Fire on Trial

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Monday saw the "12.25" Luoyang Conflagration Cases put on public trial in Luoyang. The 23 suspects involved in seven cases were simultaneously brought to justice.

At about 9 o'clock on the evening of December 25, 2000, when the four welders, Wang Chengtai, Song Long, Lai Dengge and Ding Xiaodong, all unlicensed, were welding on a separation between B1 and B2 of the commercial building stray sparks fell down on the inflammables piled in B2, causing the fire to break out. Wang and his colleagues failed to put out the fire with water and took to their heels from the scene without reporting the fire. They also formed a pact to shield each other. On the morning of December 27, the four welders were arrested by the police.

As the 23 suspects belong to the different units and the different nature of the crimes committed, 14 suspects of two cases will be put on trial by Luoyang Intermediate People's Court. The other nine suspects of the five cases will be judged by Jianxi District People's Court dictated by Luoyang Intermediate People's Court.



By PD Online staff member Du Minghua