The General Office of the State Council has released an urgent circular, urging local governments to draw lessons from the Luoyang fire on December 25 and make every effort to ensure safety during the New Year's Day and Spring Festival holidays.
The occurrence of Luoyang fire, which killed 309 people, indicates that severe problems still exist in current safety work, according to the circular.
The circular asks local governments to bear in mind the importance of safety. "Major officials will be responsible for safety problems that occur in their region and department."
The circular also calls for an immediate thorough check for potential causes of fire in places such as hotels, shops, hospitals and schools. Recreation centers and dance halls without safety equipment must be closed immediately, says the circular.
Railway, civil aviation, shipping, and highway departments must see to it their vehicles are in good condition and ban overloading and excessive speeding.
(Xinhua 12/29/2000)
