China jails 4 for 2013 fatal fire at poultry plant

BEIJING — Two courts have convicted and sentenced bosses of a poultry processing plant in northeast China in relation to a fire that killed 121 people and injured 76 others.

The fire in June 2013 in Jilin province was China’s deadliest industrial accident in five years and highlighted continuing violations of safety regulations in the country.

Survivors at the time described workers struggling through smoke and flames after an electrical short to reach doors that were locked or blocked.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday that courts in Changchun city sentenced two bosses of the plant and two fire officials on Friday.

They included the chairman of Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Co., who was sentenced to nine years in prison for not ensuring the working environment was safe.