Shanghai grieves over blaze victims amid safety overhaul

China ordered tighter fire prevention measures yesterday following a blaze that gutted a high-rise apartment building in Shanghai, killing at least 53 people with dozens still believed missing.

The fire heightened concerns about the city's ability to cope with such disasters in a metropolis of more than 20 million people, many of them living in around 15,000 high-rise buildings. Relatives yesterday continued to search for loved ones, while authorities confirmed the identities of 26 of the 53 people killed,.

Police have detained four unlicensed welders who were working on "energy-saving" renovations when sparks apparently spread to bamboo scaffolding and nylon nets shrouding the building. In all, eight people were detained by police for questioning.