Minister mourns deaths of firefighters in warehouse blaze   

郭声琨：及时有效扑灭火灾 把火灾上升势头压下去

据公安部网站消息，国务委员、公安部部长郭声琨3日在公安部指挥中心通过视频调度指挥哈尔滨“1·02”火灾救援处置工作。他强调，要采取有力措施及时有效扑灭火灾，坚决把火灾上升势头压下去，坚决保障人民群众生命财产安全。[查看全文]

Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun on Saturday expressed his profound condolences over the deaths of five firefighters in a warehouse blaze in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

In total, five firefighters were killed and another 13 firefighters and one security guard injured in a warehouse blaze in Harbin city of Heilongjiang Province, according to rescuers.

The age of the deceased ranged between 18 and 22. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The firemen were buried by debris while trying to put out the fire, which burnt down the third floor of a market warehouse at the Beifangnanxun ceramics market at about 10 p.m.on Friday, burying firemen on the second floor, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene.

Saying that the firefighter's spirit of sacrifice and devotion should be promoted, the Minister ordered sparing no efforts to save the injured and sooth the family relatives of the deceased.

Guo directed the rescue work at the Ministry's commanding center through a video system.

The Ministry of Public Security has also dispatched experts to Harbin for disaster relief.

Guo required a thorough check on hidden dangers at the scene to avoid the dying embers flaring up again.

Dense population places should be particularly inspected, so as to prevent the occurrences of major public security accidents, he stressed, reaffirming that people's life and property safety should be ensured.