Work groups to counsel fire-bereaved families

CHANGCHUN - The provincial government in Northeast China's Jilin province announced on Tuesday that it will form a work team to help bereaved families following the fire that claimed at least 120 lives in Jilin's Dehui city on Monday.

The fire broke out at 6:06 am at a poultry processing plant owned by the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company in Mishazi township in Dehui, located about 100 km northeast of the provincial capital of Changchun.

People wait for news of their relatives outside the poultry plant in Dehui city, Jilin province, June 4, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

A team of officials from Dehui arrived at the plant on Monday evening to comfort relatives of the deceased, according to officers at the scene.

Some victims' families have arrived at the scene and have demanded a government investigation into the cause of the accident as soon as possible.

Wang Rulin, secretary of the provincial Party Committee, said the government will deal with the aftermath of the accident, in part by forming a working group for each family to provide compensation and grief counseling and cater to their needs.

Those who are suspected of being responsible for the accident have been taken into police custody for further inquiry.

The exact number of the casualties should be figured out with no omissions allowed, said Wang, who urged all-out efforts to seal a leaking ammonia tank in the plant, which is thought to have been the cause of this accident.

The provincial government will also carry out an overall safety check in facilities including workplaces, mines, construction sites, schools and shopping malls to remove potential hazards.