18 DEAD IN KARAOKE BAR FIRE

BEIJING: A fire tore through a karaoke lounge in China yesterday, killing 18 people and injuring another five, as authorities arrested an arson suspect who had reportedly blocked the entrance with a motorcycle. The fire started after midnight in a three-storey building in Yingde, Guangdong province, and was put out shortly before 1am. The suspect got into an argument, then used a motorcycle to block the building’s door and lit the fire, state broadcaster CCTV said. Police caught the suspect shortly after authorities offered a 200,000 yuan (RM125,000) reward for information leading to his arrest. – AFP