Chinese vice premier stresses fire accident prevention

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has called for eliminating safety risks and resolutely curbing the frequent occurrence of fire accidents.

Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected work on fire safety in Beijing on Tuesday.

The vice premier urged efforts to focus on key locations, identify and address fire hazards, and safeguard the safety of people's lives and property.

He visited multiple places in the districts of Dongcheng and Chaoyang and stressed drawing lessons from the recent fire accidents.

Measures should be taken to tackle prominent problems, intensify joint inspections across government organs, and resolutely rectify problems, the vice premier said.

Zhang also demanded fire rescue teams and related departments step up the elimination of fire risks, strengthen supervision and law enforcement, and enhance fire safety education among the public.