19 punished over fatal Tianjin mall fire

TIANJIN - Nineteen people have been punished after a shopping mall fire last year left 10 dead and 16 others injured in north China's Tianjin municipality, authorities said on Thursday.

Six people, including the shopping mall's owner, top management, and electrician, received jail terms ranging from six years to three years with three years' reprieve for their breaches of labor safety laws, said a statement issued by Tianjin Municipal Government.

Two officers with the Jixian County's fire department were detained for crimes of abuse of power, corruption and negligence, said the statement.

It added that the others, including officials of the county and township levels and firefighting leaders of basic levels, received civil penalties of warnings, demerits and self-inspections.

The Laide Shopping Mall was fined 900,000 yuan ($142,857).

The fire happened on the afternoon of June 30, 2012 at the mall in Yuyang township, Jixian county, and later engulfed the five-story building. Eight mall workers, a home textiles saleswoman and a customer were killed, and 16 others were injured in the blaze.

Investigators found that the short circuiting of an air conditioner located in a warehouse on the first floor kindled flammable material, triggering the fire.