Shenzhen has plugged nearly 4,000 fire loopholes after a blanket search at 2,038 entertainment places.

The actions were carried out in the past week after the city lost 59 lives to two fatal fires this year.

The investigations focused on entertainment business without licenses or proper safety measures, the Guangzhou Daily reported on Thursday.

Public places including Karaoke bars, dance clubs, hotels and shopping centers will be shut down if their evacuation channels and fire extinguishing facilities do not meet the safety standards.

The use of fireworks had been banned in public entertainment venues.

So far the authorities have issued 199 orders for correction and reshuffle of the flameproof facilities, seized 46 businesses and fined 49,822 yuan among the 2,038 entertainment centers.

The searches took away weekends and holidays of 3,825 firefighters.

The attempt to thoroughly rule out possibilities of fire accidents was carried out after two deadly fires in Shenzhen this year.

A nightclub fire on September 20 killed 44 people in Longgang district.

The police arrested 13 suspects and detained 23 people holding them responsible for the deadly tragedy.

On February 27, a factory fire claimed 15 lives.

The blaze broke out early morning in an illegal foam recycling station of Shenzhen Longfei Recycle Materials Co. Ltd inside a building.

The fire was caused by short-circuits of the overburdened electrical wires.

The owner and the legal representative of the building were arrested for renting rooms to the factory without permission.

An investigation report accused the involved government officials of dereliction of duty and taking bribes.

(China Daily October 3, 2008)