School Headmaster Fan Qi and Vice-Headmaster Xing Zhiqiang were among those officials charged.

Xinhua News Agency reported yesterday that the school's former head, Hu Zengyu, was also being watched by local police.

Fan was charged with severe dereliction of duty. It is alleged that he was entertaining himself in a hotel with 18 other teachers when he should be on duty.

The tragedy took place on Monday at No 2 Middle School of Fengzhen in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Ma Yan, a project manager with an Inner Mongolia construction company, and two other suspects were also arrested. The company was the builder of the school houses.

At 6.50pm, the guard rail on a stairwell gave way as more than 1,500 students headed downstairs after an evening class which had not been included on the approved timetable.

Students who fell were quickly trampled by those pushing forward down the stairs.

Seven boys and 14 girls suffocated on the ground while another 47 were treated in hospital for injuries sustained in the tragedy.

A staff member from Wulanchabu League's Information Centre said on condition of anonymity that the ages of the students ranged from 13-15.

The schoolhouse was a brand-new, three-storey building, which had been used for less than a year.

The west stairway where the tragedy took place had 12 lights but 11 were found to be broken and the other had no bulb in place.

It is alleged that Fan had been informed about the problem before the tragedy occurred but took no action to correct the faults.

Police also claimed that no member of staff was present when the students attempted to leave the building in pitch-black conditions.

The school is also alleged to have violated the national educational law by lengthening class times without authorization.

Worries surrounded the reinforced steel bar of the guard rail, which had been slated for a quality test.

(China Daily September 26, 2002)