THE Shanghai Fire Control Bureau has issued a fine of 100,000 yuan (US$14,580) to the glass-steel research company in Fengxian District which caught fire last Friday.
　　
　　The legal representative, administrative director and director on fire control of the Shanghai FRP Research Institute faced fines of 5,000 yuan each, as well as formal reprimands.
　　
　　Wang Jindi, the cleaner who collected office garbage into plastic bags without checking, was found to be directly responsible for the blaze, as the fire was caused by a smouldering cigarette butt left in a plastic bag, according to the fire control bureau.
　　
　　Wang was fined 1,000 yuan by the fire authority, and has been sacked from the glass-steel research facility.
　　
　　The company fired two of its staff, including Sun Yixiong, the director of security department, and Zhang Liankai, the director of infrastructure, who didn't abide by fire control regulations.
　　
　　The fire cost the company 250,000 yuan, the fire control authorities said yesterday.
　　
　　Since last year the fire control authorities had warned the institute five times about fire risks and ordered it to ban smoking, to clear its garbage, demolish illegal buildings and use fire-proof paint in its workshop.
　　
　　"Among the companies and institutes we warned about high fire risks this year, fewer than 50 percent have rectified their situations up to the standard," said Chen Fei, director of the fire control bureau.
　　
　　"Recent fire sites all happened in suburban industrial zones which have been found to be high-risk zones."