A Hebei court has imposed the death sentence on a 19-year-old man who set fire to a karaoke bar in which 11 people were killed in Chengde City on November 14, China News Service reported today.

The man had sought revenge on his boss.

Jiang Dayong, a waiter at Gedu Karaoke Bar, started the fire by spreading and igniting petrol from a motorcycle after being criticized by one of his managers, surnamed Zhen, who was said to always make things difficult for Jiang, the report said, citing the court.

Jiang escaped after the blaze broke out and shouted fire to avoid suspicion, previous reports said.

One of Jiang's roommates, who lived in the bar and was asleep at the time, was killed in the fire. The blaze spread to a foot massage parlor attached to the bar and killed another 10 people, who were also sleeping, the court said.

The victims, 10 women and one man, were all about 20 years old, previous reports said.

All of them were choked to death by carbon monoxide, the China News Service report said.

Jiang confessed in court, the report added.

The Chengde County government has given compensation to the relatives of the victims, said the report.

(Shanghai Daily April 8, 2008)