19 Jailed for Dereliction in Fatal Beijing Hospital Fire

A Beijing court has sentenced 19 people to prison terms ranging from two to six-and-a-half years over a fatal hospital fire that killed 29 people and injured 42 in April 2023.

The Fengtai District People's Court in Beijing ruled on Monday that the defendants violated workplace safety regulations during renovation work at Beijing Changfeng Hospital, leading to the tragedy.

The court found that on the afternoon of April 18, 2023, workers at the hospital's construction site were improperly conducting floor leveling and doorframe installation simultaneously. Flammable vapors from epoxy resin primer formed an explosive mixture in the air, which ignited upon contact with sparks from a metal-cutting grinder.

The resulting fire spread rapidly due to nearby combustible materials, inadequate fire barriers, and malfunctioning fixed firefighting systems. Delays in evacuating patients from upper floors further contributed to the heavy casualties.

In its ruling, the court stated that the accused had "breached relevant safety management regulations in the course of production and operations, leading to a major casualty accident with especially severe consequences."

Sentences were determined based on factors including each defendant's role, the severity of the incident, voluntary surrender, admission of guilt, expressions of remorse, and compensation paid to victims.

The hearing was attended by relatives of victims and defendants, as well as local lawmakers and political advisers.