A devastating fire erupted in the dormitory of Yingcai School in Yanshanpu village, Henan province, central China, claiming the lives of thirteen schoolchildren aged nine and ten, as reported by the country’s Xinhua state news agency.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday night, prompting an immediate response from firefighters who managed to extinguish the flames less than an hour after being alerted. The victims, all from the same third-grade class, were in the dormitory along with approximately 30 other students when the fire broke out. The remaining students were safely evacuated.
The manager of Yingcai School, located near Nanyang city, has been detained, and an investigation is currently underway. One additional person is receiving treatment in the hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
Details about the identities of the deceased and the cause of the fire have not been officially released, but state media photos depict smashed windows in the dormitory building, and the school’s vicinity has been cordoned off with police patrolling the scene.
Yingcai School, a privately-run institution operating for ten years, caters to nursery and primary age pupils from nearby rural areas. Xinhua reported that children enrolled in the school’s nursery had already returned home for the weekend.
Tragically, fatal fires in China have become a recurring issue, often attributed to lax enforcement of building and safety standards. In November, 26 lives were lost in a fire in an office building in Luliang City, Shanxi province. Additionally, a hospital fire in Beijing last April claimed at least 29 lives, predominantly patients, prompting investigations that resulted in the detention of 12 individuals for questioning. Harrowing footage from the Beijing incident depicted people climbing out of windows onto air conditioning units to escape the flames. Source – BBC
