Hundreds Commemorate Victims of 2010 Shanghai Fire

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It's been one year since a deadly fire in Shanghai claimed at least 58 lives. Hundreds paid their respects to those who lost their lives in a blaze that investigators said could have been prevented.

About 600 people commemorated the first anniversary of the Shanghai fire that claimed 58 lives and injured 70 other residents.

Survivors and many others paid respects to their loved ones who lost their lives in the deadly blaze. They brought flowers and incense and placed them in front of the frame of the burned-out high-rise apartment building.

The fire that took four hours to put out has many ramifications. It has prompted Shanghai authorities to impose tighter guidelines for the building industry and fire prevention measures.

Fire investigators revealed the deadly November 15th blaze could have been prevented. They found the cause of the fire was due to slack supervision, unlawful work-place practices, and the use of unsafe construction materials.

Welding sparks from unlicensed workers had set ablaze the nylon netting covering the bamboo scaffolding. The fire spread and gutted the 28-story apartment building.

Compensation, sentencing and investigations have taken nearly a year to sort out.

Twenty-six people—including local officials, building supervisors, and welders—were sentenced for up to 16 years. The crimes involve bribery, negligence, unlawful practices and hiring of workers.

The jail sentences were passed only in August this year and a comprehensive inquiry finalized last month. The inquiry reveals a dire lack of engineering supervisors in Shanghai and how many builders bribe supervisors to ignore risky work practices.