Six Sentenced In Nightclub Fire

Six people were given jail sentences March 13 for a nightclub fire that killed 44 people Sept. 20 in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.

The blaze started when a fireworks performance set some flammable material alight on the ceiling of the King Of The Dancers club.

About 300 people were in the club at the time. In addition to those killed, 64 were injured.

The club was located on the third floor of a market building. There was only one exit, a narrow passageway to a single staircase.

The former head of the local fire department and a former policeman were sentenced to six years each for dereliction of duty, while the former chief of the Tongle police station received a 13-year term for taking bribes from the nightclub’s owner, presumably for allowing the club to operate despite safety code violations.