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Deadly bus blaze in SW China deliberate: local police

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-02 22:01

CHENGDU: A blaze that engulfed a bus in southwest China's Sichuan Province, which killed 27 people and injured 74 in early June, is believed to be the work of an arsonist, local police said Thursday.

Related readings:  Bus fire probe: Someone brought gasoline on board  Death toll in China bus fire rises to 27  Freak fire engulfs bus in Chengdu, kills 25

The man, identified as 62-year-old unemployed Zhang Yunliang, a native from Suzhou city of eastern Jiangsu Province who temporarily lived in Chengdu, burnt to death at the rear of the bus after setting the fire, police said.

Police said that Zhang had threatened suicide after his family reduced financial support to him.