Tragedy Strikes in Henan Province, China: 13 Lives Lost in School Dormitory Fire

The tragic inferno occurred on Friday night at Yingcai School in Yanshanpu village, Henan province. The school manager, situated near Nanyang city, has been apprehended, and an ongoing investigation is in progress.

A single individual is currently receiving medical treatment and is reported to be in stable condition. According to a teacher at the institution, all the victims belonged to the same third-grade class.

Approximately 30 students were present in the dormitory when the fire erupted, and the remaining students were successfully evacuated. Firefighters extinguished the flames within an hour of receiving the alert, as reported by Xinhua.

Official channels have not disclosed further details regarding the identities of the deceased or the cause of the fire. State media photos reveal shattered windows in the dormitory building, with the school surroundings cordoned off, under the watch of patrolling police officers.

Yingcai School, a privately-run institution, had been operational for a decade, serving nursery and primary-age pupils from nearby rural areas. According to Xinhua, children enrolled in the school’s nursery had already returned home for the weekend.

Tragically, fatal fires in China are not unusual, often attributed to the lenient enforcement of building and safety standards. In a similar incident last November, 26 individuals lost their lives in a massive fire that engulfed an office building in Luliang City, Shanxi province.

In April of the previous year, a hospital fire in Beijing resulted in the deaths of at least 29 individuals, predominantly patients. This incident prompted an investigation, leading to the detention of 12 people for questioning by the police. Disturbing footage from the fire depicted people escaping the flames by climbing out of windows onto air conditioning units.