Beijing – Four people have been detained over a foot massage parlour fire that killed 18 and injured 18 others in eastern China at the weekend, state media reported.
The individuals, who were in charge of the facility, were taken into police custody on suspicion of “very serious dereliction of duty”, Tiantai county police in Zhejiang province told the official Xinhua news agency late Tuesday.
The fire broke out Sunday afternoon at the Zuxintang Foot Massage and Bathing Parlour, which is located on the first and second floors of a six-storey building.
The flames were extinguished less than two hours later.
Eight people were found dead at the scene and 10 others passed away in hospital, Xinhua said.
The cause of the blaze is still being investigated.
Fire safety procedures are routinely ignored in China, with exit doors often locked and escape passages blocked in buildings.
Seven people died in a fire at an elderly care facility last month.
