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Gov't sued for van fire that killed 25
A van blaze case that killed 25 homeless people is being filed against the Shanwei civil affairs department by family members of the dead. Shanwei Intermediate People's Court opened a special public hearing on Monday into the fire, that happened in April 2001. The van, which had detained 25 beggars and vagabonds, was travelling on the Shenzhen-Shantou Expressway when it caught fire. Family members of the passengers claimed compensation of 187,000 yuan (US$22,600) per person and a local district court in Shanwei ruled in their favour. At the time, the director of a local repatriation centre was convicted for neglect and jailed, after claims the beggars had been locked inside the vehicle. But the Shanwei Bureau of Civil Affairs, defending, refused to accept the ruling and appealed to the city's intermediate's people's court, claiming the passengers had in fact set alight to the van and later stopped fire fighters from putting out the flames. Acting for the relatives of the deceased, lawyer Wang Qiuping said the local administration had caused the deaths. "The defendant refused to open the van to release the victims after the fire took place," Wang said. Wang said the plaintiffs would appeal to upper courts if they lost their suit. The court had not ruled by the end Tuesday. |
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