Fangcheng County, Henan Province, [Current Date]
The Ministry of Emergency Management in China has swiftly responded to a tragic incident in Fangcheng county, Henan Province, where a fire at Yingcai School’s dormitory claimed 13 lives and left one person injured late Friday night. Resources have been deployed, and a work group led by the director of the National Fire and Rescue Administration is on-site to manage rescue efforts and investigate the incident.
The emergency call reporting the fire at Yingcai School’s dormitory in Yanshanpu village, Dushu township, was received by the 119 Command Center at 11 pm on Friday. The dormitory, housing around 30 boarding students, witnessed the loss of 13 lives, with one person sustaining injuries. The remaining students were successfully evacuated, according to China Central Television.
Yingcai School, a private institution with a history of over 10 years, primarily enrolls students from nearby rural areas, including some left-behind children. The affiliated kindergarten had already sent children home for the weekend before the incident occurred.
Minister of Emergency Management Wang Xiangxi swiftly deployed resources upon receiving the report, emphasizing the need for comprehensive fire hazard inspections in densely populated areas to prevent major accidents. A workgroup, led by Qiong Se, Director of the National Fire and Rescue Administration, was dispatched to guide rescue efforts and oversee incident response procedures.
Local firefighting teams, comprising 32 personnel and six vehicles, immediately responded to extinguish the fire. As of 11:38 pm on Friday, the fire had been successfully extinguished.
Local authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident, and the person in charge of the school is under police control, as reported by Xinhua.
The Paper, a local news source, reported that Yingcai School, a private institution with a significant student population, was not on a scheduled break this weekend. The fire, originating from the student dormitories around 22:00 on Friday, has led to a profound tragedy. The school’s owner, known as Li Jizhong, was formerly a teacher and operates another Yingcai School in the same town. Local residents described the school as a semi-closed private institution primarily catering to children from rural areas.