国内英语新闻:Short circuit causes fatal blaze in NE China: official

CHANGCHUN, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) - An electric short circuit in a shop was believed to be the cause of a shopping mall blaze that killed 19 people earlier this month in northeast China's Jilin Province, a spokesman with the provincial work safety bureau said Thursday.

The fire broke out on Nov. 5 in Jilin Commercial Building, Jilin City and lasted 12 hours. It left 19 people dead, 24 others injured and took fire fighters 10 hours to extinguish the flames, which ravaged 15,830 square meters of the five-storey mall.

Investigations found that a short circuit in Sishulang Shop on the first floor of the mall was the cause of the fire.

Police have detained 14 people in connection with the fatal blaze. The families of each of the victims have received at least 250,000 yuan (37,600 U.S. dollars) in compensation from the government.