China Overhauls Fire-Investigation Protocols to Prevent Local Cover-Ups

China is bringing new national scrutiny to fire-accident investigations, prioritizing preventative measures and demanding aggressive oversight of local probes to prevent municipal cover-ups, a senior official said April 8.

Speaking at a joint briefing held by the Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Fire and Rescue Administration, Wang Tianrui, deputy director of the administration’s fire supervision department, outlined four new mechanisms. The overhaul is designed to leverage specialized expertise to push for systemic fixes and halt the country's cycle of recurring disasters.