Standards must rise, say experts

Special training sessions will be arranged to extend the all-round professional capabilities of China's firefighters and further guard their safety, according to experts.

In recent years, the deaths of a large number of firefighters in the line of duty have prompted heated public debate about professional standards.

"In China, firefighters are recruited via military conscription. It's not a career choice like in Western countries," said Du Wenfeng, director of the Fire Engineering Department of the Chinese People's Armed Police Forces Academy.