Fire in Central China Commercial Building Kills More Than 300 People

More than 300 people, many of them attending a Christmas night disco party, died and dozens more were injured when a fire engulfed a multistory commercial building in the ancient city of Luoyang, local officials and Chinese media accounts reported today.

Several hundred people reportedly were trapped in the dance hall on the building’s fourth floor when the fire broke out about 9:30 p.m. Monday. Many of those attending the disco party were unable to flee. Authorities told local reporters that most victims died of smoke inhalation.

The building’s lower floors were under renovation at the time, and construction workers operating on the second and third floors were also among the dead, news reports said.

The official New China News Agency put the death toll at 309.

The news agency and local editions of today’s newspapers in the city said firefighters managed to rescue some people from the roof of the six-story building, while others managed to jump to safety onto inflated cushions. Many were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

Today’s editions of local newspapers speculated that the fire might have started in the basement of the building as workers prepared decorations for the disco party.

An official in the Luoyang city government’s propaganda department, who declined to be identified, said by telephone that the fire apparently was caused by “carelessness during construction.”

Officials from the city and Henan province told local reporters that a task force will be established to investigate the origins of the blaze.

Police officials told local reporters that smoke inside the building was so thick that even using spotlights, firefighters could see no farther than 18 inches in front of them as they searched frantically for survivors. They said a total of 21 fire engines and 750 police officers were deployed to fight the fire, which was put out shortly before 2 a.m. today.

The building was known as the Dongdu Department Store and is in the old quarter of the city near the Luo River. Dongdu means Eastern Capital.

Luoyang is an industrial city of about 1 million approximately 500 miles south of Beijing. The city was established around 1200 BC and was China’s capital during 10 dynasties until the 10th century AD.

It is home to some of Buddhism’s most famous temples as well as the Longmen caves, famous for their Buddhist art.

Monday’s blaze marked the second major fire tragedy this year in Henan province. In March, 74 people died in a movie theater fire in the city of Jiaozuo, after the theater management had locked the doors to show pornographic films.

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Times staff writer Marshall reported from Hong Kong, and special correspondent Kuhn from Beijing.