Seven people charged in connection to a deadly February fire in Northeast China's Jilin went on trial yesterday.

The February 15 fire in the Zhongbai commercial building left 54 dead and more than 70 injured. Damages were estimated at 4 million yuan (US$481,000).

The store's general manager Liu Wenjian, vice-general-manager Zhao Ping as well as four department heads have been charged with negligence. Employee Yu Hongxin, who triggered the fire by smoking in the store's warehouse, has also been indicted.

No verdict was passed on Friday.

Jilin Mayor Gang Zhanbiao resigned afterwards and Vice-Mayor Cai Yuhe received a disciplinary warning and a demerit record.

Prosecutors said that the department store failed to effectively implement fire-prevention measures. They also said that Chen Zhong and Cao Mingjun, who were on duty on the day of the fire were not in their designated positions for evacuation, leading to the huge casualties.

In another development, six of the 21 people deemed responsible for a storage shelf collapse last month in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, have been transferred to judicial custody for further prosecution.

The accident took place at the Chenzhai Cold Storage in Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, on May 5, killing 15 farm workers.

(China Daily June 12, 2004)