China punishes several for deadly hospital blaze

BEIJING, June 12 (Reuters) China's Supreme Court sentenced several people today to jail terms of up to seven years for their roles in a hospital fire in the country's northeast that killed at least 37 people, state media reported.

The December 2005 blaze at the City Central Hospital in Liaoyuan city, Jilin province, started in a power room, forcing patients to jump from windows and climb down knotted sheets to escape.

The works team used electrical cables that were not up to standard and breached regulations to misuse the cables, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition, because ''the relevant hospital staff did not conscientiously carry out their supervision duties ... they left great hidden dangers for accidents,'' Xinhua said.

Two contractors were sentenced to seven years and six years respectively, while the head of the hospital and two deputies were sentenced to terms of one to five years.

Several others received suspended sentences for the fire that also injured more than 90.

REUTERS RKM KP1718