Heating resumed Friday for at least 10,000 families affected a recent power failure that left thousands freezing in Qiqihar, one of the coldest cities in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The system feeding coal to the Qiqihar Thermal Power Co. broke down Wednesday night, affecting residential houses with a total floor space of 5.4 million square meters and leaving many shivering with the minimum temperature below minus 25 Celsius degrees.

As of 3:30 p.m., the temperature in residents' homes had risen to 18 degree Celsius as normal, said Fang Dequn, a senior official with the city's construction department. "The heating supply had been fully restored in the affected Jianhua District."

Local authorities promised to restore the heating system within two days after the heat cut off.

In the meantime, the city launched 17 boiler rooms to provide heating into the heat supply network in an effort to prevent plant failure. Hot-water bags, electric blankets and heaters were also delivered to local residents.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2008)