Li Jing

TEN Shenzhen officials were being investigated for their roles in a deadly nightclub fire that claimed 44 lives and injured 87 in Longgang District last month, the government said yesterday.

Seven of the officials accused of dereliction of duty had been handed over to the procuratorate while the rest were being investigated by the city’s disciplinary department for corruption, Shenzhen Party chief Liu Yupu told a meeting yesterday.

A total of 17 people deemed responsible for the fire had so far been arrested while another 10 had been released on parole, Liu said.

He promised severe punishment if any of the officials were indicted, but did not identify the suspects.

The city government has signed agreements with the families of the dead, under which the Longgang District Government paid 250,000 yuan (US$36,662) to each family as initial compensation pending the outcome of future legal proceedings.

The city has launched a campaign to fight corruption in firefighting departments at municipal and district levels. An initial investigation by the State Administration of Work Safety confirmed earlier this month that corruption was blamed for the failure of authorities in Longgang to close Dance King, which had been operating without a license since late last year.

City officials have been scrambling to rectify fire hazards at entertainment venues and other businesses after the government launched a 100-day inspection campaign to prevent a repetition of the deadly fire.

A large number of businesses had been closed for operating without licenses and failing to meet fire-prevention standards, the government said, without disclosing the exact number.