2021 Zhecheng school fire
 | This article may be excessively based on contemporary reporting. (March 2024) |
| Date | 25 June 2021 |
|---|---|
| Time | 3:00 a. m. |
| Location | Zhecheng, Henan, China |
| Deaths | 18 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 16 |
On 25 June 2021, a fire at a martial arts school in Zhecheng, Henan, China, killed at least 18 people.[1][2][3]
Background
[edit]The school advertised online hour-long classes each day for different martial arts disciplines, along with an unspecified boarding school style teachings. It had also not gone through the fire safety auditing process required for all martial arts training institutions, and the building had been a privately built home before it was a school.[4]
Fire
[edit]At 3 a.m. on 25 June 2021, a fire broke out at the Zhenxing Martial Arts Centre, which teaches martial arts. It is located in Zhecheng County in the Henan province of China.[1][2] Thirty-four students were on the premise at the time of the fire and were sleeping on the first floor.[4] Eyewitnesses claimed they could hear the students screaming while they attempted to fight the fire by pouring water on it, and the fire quickly became so fierce that rescue efforts were hampered.[5]
At least 18 people were killed and 16 others injured, of which four were severely injured and twelve with light injuries.[6] Most of the victims were pupils between seven and sixteen years old who lived and studied there.[1][2]
Investigation
[edit]It is unclear how the fire started. The person in charge of the centre had been arrested.[1] Four local officials were fired shortly after the incident, and two more suspects were arrested.[4][7]
One of the parents of the children said that "all information is being blocked".[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "China martial arts school fire kills 18, mostly children". BBC News. 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b c "Fire at China martial arts centre kills 18, mostly children". Reuters. 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Lau, Mimi (2021-06-25). "Early hours fire kills 18, mostly children at central China MMA school". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ a b c "Fire at martial arts school in China kills 18 children". the Guardian. 2021-06-26. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ "Fire kills 18, mostly children, at China martial arts school". The Indian Express. 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ "Fire at martial arts school in central China kills 18 people". ABC News. June 25, 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^ Levine, Jon (2021-06-26). "18 children dead after fire at Chinese martial arts school". New York Post. Retrieved 2022-01-10.