Firefighters on Christmas alert

Chinese police will carry out a nationwide safety inspection on public spaces on Christmas Eve, checking fire risks, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday.

Fire control departments will check fire control facilities at major recreational venues, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other densely-populated places hosting big events, the ministry said in a statement.

Special attention will be paid to overcrowding, whether there are open flames indoors or if fireworks are set off.

Those with defects that threaten public safety will be closed, according to the statement.

"Pubs, ballrooms, cinemas and department stores usually attract large numbers of people and open until late at night during Christmas, making the period prone to fires," the statement said.