Awwal 05, 1432 H/Feb 08, 2011, SPA -- Fireworks set off over the Chinese lunar new year holidays have killed at least 40 people in one week, dpa cited the Ministry of Public Security as saying Tuesday. More than 118,000 fires were reported between February 2 and Tuesday, according to ministry statistics quoted by the Xinhua news agency, up from 7,480 fires during last year's Spring Festival. The ministry said 37 people were injured this year, and the fires caused losses of more than 56 million yuan (8.5 million dollars) - almost double the amount from last year. The estimated losses did not include a fire in a five-star hotel in the northeastern city of Shenyang, said to be the biggest accident this year, Xinhua reported. Chinese people have used fireworks to mark the start of a lunar new year since ancient times. The tradition is said to frighten away evil spirits that could bring bad luck in the new year. Scores of cities banned fireworks in the 1990s, claiming they were too dangerous, too noisy or caused too much air pollution. But many people defied the orders, and the unpopularity of the bans eventually made officials relent.
