The police have detained 11 people in connection with a hospital fire that killed 39 people atthe end of last year in northeast China.

The president and vice president of the Liaoyuan Central Hospital, the largest hospital in Liaoyuan City, Jilin Province, are among the detainees. They face charges of neglecting their duty, officials with the provincial public security bureau said on Tuesday.

The two hospital heads did not report the fire to the local fire department until 30 minutes after the fire broke out, an official with the provincial fire department said.

A hospital electrician and his superior, the head of the hospital's logistics department, have been detained for violating operations rules.

The blaze, which broke out around 4:30 PM on Dec. 15 and was not put out until 10:00 PM.

(Xinhua News Agency February 15, 2006)