Business and Political News from China and Southeast Asia
China: Hotel fire caused by state TV firework show, twelve arrested
Chinese state news agency Xinhua has confirmed that a massive Beijing hotel fire that erupted Monday night was started by fireworks set off during an illegal light show organized by Chinese state television station CCTV to celebrate the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. One firefighter died and seven other people were injured. Xinhua has reported the arrest of 12 people - three CCTV workers and eight technicians hired to set the grade A industrial fireworks off. A Beijing government spokesman told Xinhua that CCTV was denied a permit to set the fireworks because they were too powerful to be set off in an urban environment. Policeman were ignored after they tried to stop the show.
The luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel, designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren, is located in the new CCTV complex next to the new CCTV station and was unfinished.
Reporting from Xinhua News Agency
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