China's environmental watchdog said on Saturday that 33 of the 161 cities monitored nationwide were hit by heavy air pollution on the Lantern Festival, due to firework revelry and unfavorable weather conditions. Six people were killed in fires. [Xinhua]

Six people were killed in fires on Friday as Chinese celebrated the traditional Lantern Festival, the Ministry of Public Security said on Saturday.

A total of 2,581 fires were reported in China on the day of the festival.

The Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the half-month lunar new year celebrations, traditionally features outdoor celebrations by lighting hanging lanterns and fireworks.

Police nationwide patrolled entertainment and fireworks venues and residential neighborhoods to spot fire risks, said the Ministry, adding that nearly 33,500 firefighters were dispatched on Friday.

Text messages and popular social media, such as the WeChat messaging app and microblogs, were used to spread information and enhance public awareness of fire protection, according to the ministry.

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