The owner of the Tiantan Restaurant, the site of a weekend blast that killed 33 and injured 10 people, has been detained, with all of his assets sealed up for future compensations for the victims.

Investigators on the scene of the blaze announced to media yesterday that the disaster was caused by the improper operation of a kerosene stove by some members of the restaurant staff, who added fuel to the stove while the flame was still burning.

The investigators have gathered enough evidence to support the conclusion, said Wang Xiqing, a fire expert with the Ministry of Public Security.

According to Wang, except for the fact that no kindling material was found at the site, eyewitness reports indicated lighting at the restaurant was not affected within 10 minutes of the fire breaking-out. The finding dispels the rumor that the fire may have been deliberately lit.

Other discoveries include the presence of gasoline inside the stove, which was supposed to be fuelled by kerosene oil only.

Hitting the privately-owned restaurant, which was filled with about 300 people during the peak dining period, the fire produced poisonous carbon monoxide fumes claiming 33 lives.

All the bodies, 15 of whom were male and 18 female, have so far been identified. They were all natives of Heilongjiang Province.

As for the 10 injured during the accident, none have sustained serious injuries.

(China Daily February 6, 2003)