MORE than 100 factory operators yesterday visited the scene of last month's Guangdong factory fire which left 82 people dead, and were told of tough new regulations designed to improve fire safety.
Under the new regulations, introduced since the November 19 blaze, factories will be closed down if windows and doors are sealed, stopping workers from fleeing a fire.
Manufacturers could also be told to stop production if sufficient fire extinguishers were not available.
Factory owners in the Shenzhen area are being taken on compulsory tours of the remains of the Zhili Handicrafts factory, owned by a Hong Kong businessman, to give them a stark reminder of the tragedy that can result from insufficient fire precautions.
Many factories have been closed down by authorities fearing further fires.
Owners have been told they will only be allowed to resume production after inspectors are satisfied they have taken steps to improve fire safety.
Some factory operators said they had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars as a result of the forced closures and had incurred further costs to install extra fire safety facilities.
