Arsonist dies after killing 4, injuring 3 in Hunan

A woman who allegedly set a fatal fire three days ago died Thursday morning from injuries sustained after she jumped out of a sixth-floor window in central China's Hunan province, the local government said.

Shi Yanfei, who is suspected of setting a fire in her employer's meeting room before jumping out of one of the room's windows Monday morning in the city of Shaoyang, died at 8 a.m Thursday after suffering brain damage and severe burns, a city government spokesman said.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. Monday, when Shi, a retired employee at a local tap water company, rushed into a meeting room where company heads were gathered, spilling gasoline in the room and igniting it before jumping out of a window.

One general manager and two vice general managers were killed, while another three company heads were injured. The injured are still receiving treatment, although their injuries are not life-threatening, according to the spokesman.

An initial investigation indicated that Shi set the fire because the company refused to employ one of her children.

Although it was once commonplace for children to replace their parents in state-owned Chinese companies following their parents' retirement, intense job competition and market economics have started to eliminate the tradition.