Fire officials put the nation at risk as they rake in bribes

Firefighters are generally considered to be heroes, ready to risk their lives so that others may live. But after the nation's deadliest blaze in 13 years, insiders say the fire services are rife with corruption that is largely responsible for the frequency and high death tolls of fires across the country.

A veteran fire-safety engineer with more than two decades' experience in Wuhan, Hubei, estimates that up to half of the fire-prevention budget for a typical business goes to bribing fire officials at various levels, whose fire safety approval is needed before their doors can be opened to customers.

"For a very large project, such as a subway, airport or residential compound, the bribes make up 20 to 30 per cent of the [fire-prevention] budget," he said. "For small projects such as a restaurant or a pharmacy, it's as much as 50 per cent."

Vast sums end up in the pockets of corrupt fire officials instead of being spent on fire prevention and essential training for staff.

At least 120 people died and dozens were injured on Monday when a poultry plant caught fire in Dehui , Jilin province. The plant's doors were locked when the fire broke out, and the public has been quick to direct blame at government officials for failing to enforce stringent fire-safety measures.

To obtain a fire-safety certificate from a local fire department, a business owner must pass five "checkpoints" in a complicated and lengthy administrative process, the engineer said. Each checkpoint is guarded by officials in charge of site inspections and reviewing construction blueprints, equipment and contingency plans. Bribes considerably expedite the process that officials might otherwise draw out for weeks, months or years.