The families of five people killed due to an explosion in a
residential building in China's northeastern city of Yingkou on
Wednesday night will receive 120,000 yuan (US$15,500) as
compensation and 4,000 yuan for funeral expenses.
Fifty tenants whose apartments suffered damage will also be
given compensation equal to three months rent so they can move to
other apartments, a spokesman for the Yingkou city government said
Saturday.
"Although the final conclusion as to the cause of the accident
is yet to be made, the government should meet the needs of
residents first," he explained.
The blast, believed to be triggered by a natural gas leak,
occurred at 9:07?PM Wednesday in the six-story building near
the railway station in Yingkou City, Liaoning Province.
The explosion killed five people, injured five others and forced
the city to condemn the damaged apartment building.
The injured people have all been treated and released from the
hospital, the government spokesman said.
Architects have been called in to determine whether the damaged
building can be repaired or needs to be demolished and replaced, he
added.
(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2007)