BEIJING, Nov. 29 -- Fire engulfed a dance hall in the northeastern province of Liaoning, killing 233 people and injuring 16, official media reported Tuesday. The Yiyuan disco, in the industrial city of Fuxin, caught fire around 1.30 pm on Sunday afternoon, the Liaoning Daily said.
City officials said the building had burnt to the ground but refused to give any further details of the fire or the 233 deaths. He said provincial leaders had rushed to the scene and the case was under investigation. Glitzy dance halls and karaoke bars have sprung up all over China as its economic boom puts more money into consumers' pockets. But fire regulations are generally unenforced in such establishments. Not only are fire exits and warning systems costly, but many of the dance halls and entertainment centers are partly owned by officials who are able to ensure no fire inspections take place on the premises. On Nov. 15, a nightclub in northern Jilin city's municipal museum caught fire and destroyed much of the museum's collection, including the 70 million-year-old remains of a dinosaur. Although fire prevention officials had warned the Yiyuan disco of its enormous fire risks, the club remained oblivious to the dangers and refused to close, the official People's Daily said.
