SHANGHAI - Five people suspected of contributing to an inferno that killed 58 people and injured another 71 on Nov 15, 2010, stood trial at the Shanghai Municipal No 2 People's Court on Monday.

The fire, which set ablaze a residential high-rise in downtown Shanghai, is believed to have been started by two unlicensed welders who, while doing renovation work to a building's exterior, ignited a nylon net that covered a scaffolding. An investigation into the case found the decoration company believed to be responsible for the accident was not qualified to do that sort of work.

On June 24, procuratorate authorities in Shanghai indicted 26 suspects, including the five who stood trial on Monday, for their alleged roles in the fire.

Gao Weizhong, former head of the construction and transport committee of the Jing'an district, and Yao Yaming, former deputy head of the committee, Zhou Jianmin, former head of the committee's comprehensive management department, and Zhang Quan, former head of the construction material management office, were charged with the misuse of their authority, with causing a severe fire accident and with inflicting harm on public property and the interests of the people and the nation.

Gao, Zhou, Zhang and Feng Wei, a former legal representative of a supplier of construction materials in the Jinshan district, were charged with taking bribes.

Gao, 55, was charged with having illegally subcontracted a decoration company to undertake the renovation of the building that eventually caught fire. That, authorities contend, took the project out from under the supervision of construction authorities.

Gao was also charged with taking 120,000 yuan ($18,540) in bribes between 2006 and 2010. Zhou was charged with taking about 125,000 yuan in bribes, including 30,000 yuan worth of shopping vouchers and 15,000 yuan of the winnings from mahjong games. Zhang and Feng were charged with taking and dividing 720,000 yuan in bribes.

Verdicts for the five suspects who stood trial on Monday will come on another day, according to the court.

Huang Peixin, a former legal representative and general manager of the Shanghai Jiayi Decoration Company, which was subcontracted to renovate the building, and 10 other suspects in the case will stand trial starting on July 20.

And that is far from the end. Another 28 people, including Vice-Mayor Shen Jun, received administrative penalties or demerits in early June as mandated by the Communist Party of China.

"We hope that all those who have committed crimes will be punished because only in that way can our loved ones rest in peace," said a relative of one of the victims, speaking on the condition of being granted anonymity.

The family member also said there are some disputes over the compensation to be given to victims' families. Some are reluctant to accept what has been offered.

"The details of the compensation are still being negotiated," said the family member. "This is long and quite painful."

"The pain of losing loved ones cannot be assuaged by money. What is more important is that justice and kindness be shown to the victims' families."