<p>The Chinese government has said that the fire at a poultry plant that killed 120 people and injured 77 was due to negligence by the company and the regulatory authorities.<br /><br />The director of the State Administration of Work Safety, Yang Dongliang, made the announcement Thursday from Changchun, capital of the northeastern province of Jilin, the official Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />"The company must not evade its responsibility to maintain safety, nor the government its (responsibility) of supervising the firm's management," Yang said.<br /><br />The preliminary investigation found that safety procedures at the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company are "a total mess", Yang said.<br /><br />Some survivors complained to the media about the stampede that was created when the workers inside the plant discovered that the building's main door had been locked.<br /><br />The fire surprised the 300 workers who were beginning or ending their shifts at around 6 a.m. Monday.<br /><br />About 100 people managed to escape the blaze and so far it has been determined that 120 people died and 77 were injured, of whom 15 are in critical condition.</p>.<p><br />At present, the president of the company and its general director are being held in police custody and the financial assets of the plant have been frozen.<br /><br />Yang said that the accident also shows that "the local government and relevant authorities failed to successfully carry out their supervisory responsibilities".<br /></p>
<p>The Chinese government has said that the fire at a poultry plant that killed 120 people and injured 77 was due to negligence by the company and the regulatory authorities.<br /><br />The director of the State Administration of Work Safety, Yang Dongliang, made the announcement Thursday from Changchun, capital of the northeastern province of Jilin, the official Xinhua news agency reported.<br /><br />"The company must not evade its responsibility to maintain safety, nor the government its (responsibility) of supervising the firm's management," Yang said.<br /><br />The preliminary investigation found that safety procedures at the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company are "a total mess", Yang said.<br /><br />Some survivors complained to the media about the stampede that was created when the workers inside the plant discovered that the building's main door had been locked.<br /><br />The fire surprised the 300 workers who were beginning or ending their shifts at around 6 a.m. Monday.<br /><br />About 100 people managed to escape the blaze and so far it has been determined that 120 people died and 77 were injured, of whom 15 are in critical condition.</p>.<p><br />At present, the president of the company and its general director are being held in police custody and the financial assets of the plant have been frozen.<br /><br />Yang said that the accident also shows that "the local government and relevant authorities failed to successfully carry out their supervisory responsibilities".<br /></p>