City in Jiangxi orders all off-campus training institutions suspend activities after a fire claimed 39 lives

Photo: Sina Weibo

After a tragic fire accident in a building basement in Xinyu city of east China's Jiangxi Province killed 39, local authorities mandated that all off-campus training institutions suspend their training activities as investigations found that some vocational college students attending an educational consulting training session were unfortunately among the casualties.

The fire broke out in the building basement, which is a six-story mixed-use brick-and-concrete structure, in the Yushui district of Xinyu, on Wednesday afternoon. Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by violation of regulations in construction work.

The accident killed 39 and injured another nine people, and local authorities detained 12 individuals responsible for the incident.

Previous media reports said that the fire originated in the basement and rapidly spread to the commercial shops on the first and second floors.

Preliminary investigations found that the basement was undergoing refrigeration warehouse renovation, and the fire was caused by construction workers violating regulations by using open flames.

Due to the intensity of the fire, it could not be extinguished in time, and heavy smoke spread through the stairwell to the second floor, which houses training institutions and a hotel.

The majority of those trapped were students attending a "college-to-university" training program and guests staying at the hotel.

Xinyu mayor bowed in apology during a press conference on Thursday morning on the fire accident. Local authorities pledged full cooperation with the State Council's investigation team in conducting the accident inquiry. Those found negligent or responsible will be held strictly accountable according to the law and regulations, according to the press conference.

During the rescue operation, it was found that vocational college students attending an educational consulting training session were unfortunately among the casualties.

Local authorities conducted a thorough inspection for fire hazards in all educational institutions across the city, particularly in boarding schools, and mandated that all off-campus training institutions suspend their training activities and rigorously carry out fire safety inspections and rectifications, local education bureau chief Zeng Xianfeng told at the press conference.