A devastating fire engulfed the Yingcai School dormitory in Yanshanpu village, located in central China’s Henan province, resulting in the loss of thirteen lives, according to official reports from Xinhua news agency on Saturday. The incident, reported to the local fire department at 11 p.m. on Friday, prompted a swift response from rescuers, who managed to extinguish the flames by 11:38 p.m. One person was reported injured and is currently receiving treatment in stable condition.
Authorities are actively investigating the cause of the fire, and at least one individual associated with the school has been detained, as reported by Xinhua. The village of Yanshanpu, situated on the outskirts of Nanyang, a city with nearly 10 million residents, now grapples with grief and shock in the aftermath of this tragic event.
While details about the boarding school remain limited, social media footage posted earlier showcased young children, including kindergarteners, adorned in smocks featuring the school’s logo. Xinhua did not specify the ages of those who lost their lives in the incident.
Online sentiments in China reflected a wave of anger and sorrow, with social media users expressing their outrage and demanding accountability for any safety lapses. One commenter on the Weibo platform emphasized the collective loss of 13 lives from 13 families, calling for severe punishment to ensure peace for the departed souls.
This tragic incident adds to a series of deadly accidents in China, often attributed to lax safety standards and insufficient enforcement. Calls for improved safety measures and investigations into hidden risks have been echoed by Chinese President Xi Jinping following previous incidents, emphasizing the need for comprehensive evaluations and preventive measures in key industries.
