A school dormitory fire in central China’s Henan province has claimed the lives of 13 people, plunging a community into grief and igniting public fury over safety standards.
The official Xinhua news agency, which confirmed the devastating news on Saturday, said the blaze tore through the Yingcai School in Yanshanpu village on Friday night, prompting an immediate response from local firefighters.
While the flames were extinguished soon after, the incident left 13 dead and one injured, who is currently undergoing stable treatment.
According to reports, all the victims were students from the same third-grade class, aged nine and 10.
The ages of the deceased have fueled outrage on Chinese social media, with online users demanding accountability and expressing raw emotions: “It’s too scary, 13 children gone in an instant…,” wrote one commenter, echoing the sentiment of many.
Unfortunately, such tragedies are not uncommon in China. Lax safety standards and inadequate enforcement have led to repeated accidents in recent years. November saw 26 perish in a coal company office fire, while a collapsed school gym roof claimed 11 lives in July.
Following the November coal mine fire, President Xi Jinping himself stressed the need for thorough investigations and improved prevention measures. Yet, the cycle continues. This time, at least one person linked to the school has been detained as authorities investigate the fire’s cause.
