The State Council, or China's Cabinet, on Friday called for efforts to strengthen fire prevention to create a safer environment for people and the country's economic development.

Some local authorities have a weak sense of their responsibility to prevent fires and major blazes have erupted at times, said a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao.

The country will take measures to improve the design and quality of fire-prevention facilities in construction projects and intensify work to identify and eliminate hidden fire risks, the statement said.

Large cities should make and implement more rigorous standards in fire prevention, it added.

More education on fire prevention will be conducted among the public while better equipment will be offered for fire fighters, according to the statement.

Blazes, coupled with inadequate fire-fighting forces and people's weak sense of fire security, have long troubled the country.

In February 2009, fireworks caused a huge fire at the new headquarters of China Central Television in Beijing, leaving one fireman dead and bringing direct economic losses of 163.83 million yuan (23.99 million U.S. dollars).

Last November, a fire gutted a 28-story apartment building that was being renovated in Shanghai, leaving 58 dead and 71 others injured.

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