World Heritage Site Fireproofed in Anhui

Authorities in Yixian county, in East China's Anhui province, have finished a project to fireproof Xidi village, the area's well-preserved ancient settlement and World Heritage site.

The Yixian county government invested 20 million yuan ($3.17 million) to eliminate fire risks in the village, a spokesman with the local fire department said on Monday.

Xidi village contains a number of valuable, traditional buildings. However, their susceptibility to an outbreak of fire had worried many.

With the project, dubbed "fire screen", officials have changed the wiring arrangement in the houses by laying them underground, encasing all wires of household appliances and setting up a firefighting equipment network.

Moreover, a fire-safety monitoring system has been set up in Xidi and the nearby region.

Xidi village has more than 300 buildings in the styles of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, over 120 of which have remained intact for centuries.

source:China daily