The Jilin provincial people's government Saturday agreed to the
resignation of Jilin Mayor Gang Zhanbiao over a commercial building
fire in Jilin City in northeast China's Jilin
Province.??
The tragedy occurred at the Zhongbai commercial building in
Jilin City on Feb. 15, leaving 54 dead and some 70 injured. The
fire was attributed to a lit cigarette dropped in a warehouse of
the building.
The provincial government also announced punishment for other
officials on the same day.
Cai Yuhe, deputy-mayor of Jilin City, was given a disciplinary
warning and a demerit record.
Liu Wenbin, director of the Jilin municipal commercial
committee, was given a serious disciplinary warning and an
administrative demotion.
Yang Kaibao, deputy-director of the Jilin municipal commercial
committee, was dismissed from all party posts and administrative
posts.
Five people directly responsible for the tragedy have been
transferred to the jurisdictional departments.
The fire struck the second floor of the building, which is
located at a downtown crossroads linking two major streets. The
first and second floors of the building were for shopping, the
third for bathing services, the fourth for billiard game and the
fifth a disco.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2004)