Factory fire victims' families reach compensation agreement

Thirteen families of victims of a recent factory fire in Guangdong province have reached an agreement to receive compensation from the local government, official sources said on Dec 13.

The blaze on Dec 4 in an underwear factory in the Chaonan district of Shantou in eastern Guangdong killed 14 workers aged between 17 and 20.

The sources with the local government did not say how much each family will receive.

Last week, local authorities asked companies in Shantou to donate money for the victims' families. About 533,000 yuan were raised.

A 17-year-old girl from Guizhou province, who was seriously injured in the fire, has left hospital after several days of treatment in the intensive care unit, the government source said.

Liu Shuangyun, a 26-year-old man from Hunan province, was detained earlier this month for allegedly setting the fire due to delayed wages, local police said.