Tenant ordered to pay for neighbor's fire losses

A tenant and his landlord have been ordered to pay a total of 89,000 yuan ($14,311) in compensation to the owner of the next door flat that was damaged by a fire, Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court ruled on Jan 21.

The fire broke out in August 2011 in the makeshift flat of a tenant surnamed Liu. The fire soon spread to his neighbor Qi's flat, causing extensive damage.

According to Fu Xinzhen, a court official, Liu is responsible for 50 percent of his neighbor's losses caused by the blaze, which totaled 112,000 yuan, for using a poor quality gas appliance that is likely to have started the fire.

The fire accident report prepared by Pudong district's fire department ruled out the possibility of arson, climatic factors, spontaneous combustion and electrical failure.

Liu's landlord Xi was ordered to pay 30 percent of the total loss in compensation, which is 33,000 yuan. The court said both properties are illegal makeshift flats.