Update: 19 people jailed for fatal fire in Beijing

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 19 people on Monday received jail terms ranging from six years and six months to two years for their roles in a fire that killed 29 and injured 42 at a Beijing hospital in 2023.

The Fengtai District People's Court in Beijing announced first-instance verdicts for Wang Wenjie and 18 others on charges of causing a major liability accident.

The court found that the fire in Beijing Changfeng Hospital was caused by sparks from a construction project that ignited volatiles produced by combustible paint on April 18, 2023.

Furthermore, the failure to effectively evacuate and relocate patients from upper floors contributed to the tragedy, which caused 29 deaths, 42 injuries, and severe economic losses.

The court held that the defendants violated relevant safety management regulations during production and operations, leading to a major accident causing casualties, and thus were punished according to law. ■