2010 Shanghai fire
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Shanghai fireThe PRC State Council officially named it "上海“11·15”特别重大火灾" (Shanghai "11·15" especially serious fire) or "上海市静安区胶州路公寓大楼“11·15”特别重大火灾事故" (Shanghai Jing'an District Jiaozhou Road "11·15" especially serious fire incident). It is called also simply called "上海大火" (Great Shanghai fire) by Chinese media or "Shanghai high-rise fire" and "Shanghai apartment building fire" by English media. was a fire on 15 November 2010 that destroyed a 28-story high-rise apartment
building in the city of Shanghai
, China, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 70 others (with at least one source reporting more than 120 others injured).
An investigation under the PRC State Council
was announced on 16 November, the day after the fire, to determine the cause of the blaze. A preliminary finding by investigators concluded that sparks from welding work being done on the building, undertaken by unlicensed welders, ignited scaffolding
around the structure, which led to the apartment's destruction. The municipal government also placed the blame on illegal multi-layered subcontracting, and detained four managers from several construction companies. In all, sixteen individuals have been arrested in connection to the fire, including four others accused of being unlicensed welders.
The week after the fire, city officials announced a compensation plan for victims of the fire and their families. The fire also prompted the government to pass stricter regulations on the construction industry, as well as increased fire safety inspections. Some citizens have criticized the government, accusing it of censoring the media and providing an inadequate response to the fire.
's Jing'an District
, and was being renovated at the time of the fire. Witnesses said that the fire started with construction materials and spread throughout the building. It took over 80 fire engines and several hours to contain the fire. Shanghai residents were able to see smoke from the fire several kilometres away. Firefighters were unable to hose water on the top of the 85 metres (278.9 ft)-tall building from the ground.
China Youth Daily
reported that the contractor for the construction said the cause of the fire was probably sparks caused by welding work done on the 20th floor. Qiu Jingshu, a worker on the 18th floor, said sparks from welding being done on another building flew over and caused the scaffolding to catch fire. Afterward, it was established that the fire "was caused by unlicensed welders improperly operating their equipment", and several welders were arrested.
, the fire began at the scaffolding that surrounded the building, but spread to the complex's main building of around 500 apartments. Xinhua News Agency
said the fire was contained at about 6:30 pm local time (10:30 UTC), more than four hours after it began.
Three helicopters had been called in to assist in the rescue, but were prevented by thick smoke generated by the fire. The upper portion of the building was beyond the reach of fire apparatus
; the blaze was brought under control only after firefighters set up hoses atop a nearby building. In all, 25 fire stations and over 100 fire appliances were mobilised in response to the incident.
Television coverage of the event showed people holding on to scaffolding around the building, and some were able to climb down to safety. One worker on the 28th floor said that workers were adding insulation to the building when the fire broke out.
Victims not in hospitals, as well as evacuees from three surrounding city blocks, were sent to public buildings, including a school and a stadium, until their housing situation could be addressed.
Earliest reports put the death toll at eight, but Xinhua later revised the count several times, and then finally confirmed 53 deaths. 26 bodies were identified using DNA tests. Some media outlets reported 79 fatalities by adding the number of identified victims to the number of previously reported fatalities, although Xinhua later said that the 26 identified were included amongst the 53.
As of 24 November, 58 people (22 males and 36 females) were officially reported dead while 56 people remained missing. The Global Times
reported that, as of 28 December 2010, 71 people had been injured, and 36 were still missing. Of the deceased, 57 were identified by DNA tests early on, while one male, from Japan, was still being identified when the official death count was released.
A doctor at Shanghai's Jing'an Hospital said that over 20 people injured in the fire had been admitted, many suffering from asphyxia
caused by smoke inhalation. State media reports said the hospital was treating 55 survivors, including nine in serious condition. At least 70 people, and possibly more than 120 people were reported to have been injured. According to BBC News
, people who survived the blaze were searching hospitals for missing family and friends. As of 24 November, 66 wounded people, 14 of which were in critical condition, were being treated at seven area medical centers. In all, nine hospitals received victims of the fire.
The list of the dead was not released as the victims' families wanted privacy. Authorities said more than one-third of the families did not want the names of the deceased published. However, several newspapers listed some of the names of the dead. The artist Ai Weiwei
compiled an unofficial list of the victims' names by contacting their relatives, along with officials and journalists. He claimed that the actual death toll was two more than the official count, but authorities did not provide access to the list of casualties.
, the PRC Minister of Public Security
, went to Shanghai to manage rescue operations. Jing'an officials set up temporary lodging and food at area hotels, and some survivors stayed at a gymnasium overnight. After the flames were extinguished, the Shanghai Municipal Government held a press conference about the damage caused by the fire. Liu Jinguo, Vice Minister of Public Security, described the firefighting as "a successful model", leading to a dispute by Chinese netizen
s. Later in the week of the fire, government officials began a drive to increase fire and safety inspections at buildings and construction sites. They also that improvements would be made to the city's firefighting capabilities.
Local residents said that fire safety requirements at the high-rise were lax, and that workers often tossed used cigarettes into the building's hallways. Week-long safety inspections were done on the two other buildings of the apartment complex, both of which were unharmed. The several hundred people living in those buildings were expected to be allowed to move back on 20 December 2010. Until then, the survivors would live in 17 nearby hotels.
According to Ming Pao
, family members of the victims were dissatisfied with the official investigation and held a sit-in protest, calling for a fair judgement. Some locals blamed the official rescue work by comparing it with a large emergency response exercise on a 330-meter building several days before, and the successful firefighting for a blaze at Shanghai World Financial Center
in 2007. Others blamed an ineffective firefighting system for the high death toll, and were dissatisfied that they were not given more details about the fire.
In Beijing
, authorities halted renovation projects similar to the one being done on the apartment in Shanghai shortly after the blaze. The projects, intended to save energy by installing insulation, were stopped on 19 November, pending safety evaluations of the work. The insulation is still flammable, despite the use of fire retardants. Shanghai officials temporarily stopped such renovations after the fire, but later allowed them to resume.
On 20 December 2010, the mayor of Shanghai, Han Zheng
, said that the city would crack down on unfair practices of construction companies and contracting firms. Han said that there is little regulation of the construction industry and that certain companies have had advantages over other companies when being awarded contracts. On 11 January 2011, Shanghai authorities placed into effect a new set of regulations aimed at better official supervision of construction companies. The city will also require that such companies will not be permitted to have any non-official relationship with local government offices after one year. Some media organizations had been questioning the connections between Jing'an District's government and the contracting groups involved in the fire, leading to accusations of corruption.
in compensation for the ordeal. The compensation would include 650,000 yuan for every death and 310,000 yuan in financial assistance from the government and charities. Zhang Renliang, the top official of Jing'an District, said that Shanghai residents and foreign workers would be compensated equally. Survivors of the blaze would be fully compensated for the loss of possessions and property. Some who lost relatives in the disaster, however, were not satisfied with the announcement. They said that the compensation plan was not enough to pay for another apartment in the district, and that would rather have a new apartment than the money.
and Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao
reported that four journalists from Xinjing News (新京报), China Daily
, Reuters
and a local newspaper were detained for one hour as security forces demanded a guarantee for positive news coverage by the journalists, before they were to interview families of the victims at a funeral parlour. The reporters wrote about their detainment on two websites.
A Chinese webmaster said that the authorities demanded for Chinese websites to cut down on their reporting of the fire, and only allowed usage of the official Xinhua news source. The New York Times reported that Chinese website Huasheng Online was blocked by government censors after criticizing the country's real-estate industry.
, said Han was trying "to do some damage control to dispel anger and to comfort the families of the victims and the Shanghai people." Luo Lin, chief of the PRC State Administration of Work Safety
, blamed the fire on illegal employment methods, poor project oversight, and incompetent, inexperienced workers.
On the day following the fire, Meng Jianzhu said he wanted an investigation into the fire to determine who was responsible for it, so those at fault could be punished appropriately. He told rescue officials to be meticulous in their efforts and that information regarding the fire should be released to the public. He also asked local governments across China to take preventative measures against such fires, including building inspections. A team of investigators, led by the State Administration of Work Safety, was formed under the PRC State Council
to look into the incident. Many details about the "November 15 Relief and Rehabilitation Working Team" have not been publicly announced.
The investigation into the fire made a preliminary conclusion that negligence by unlicensed welders on the tenth floor caused the bamboo scaffolding and attached nylon netting to catch fire, which subsequently spread to the entire structure. Shanghai authorities detained eight individuals on 16 November, at least four of whom were accused of being unlicensed welders. As of 19 November, a total of twelve individuals were being held by officials in connection to the blaze, including four more who were detained that day. The four were representatives of Jiayi Building Decoration, a part of renovation contractor Jing'an Construction, Shanghai Jing'an Construction Supervision, and the apartment management company.
On 24 December 2010, Shanghai officials announced that three government employees had been taken into custody in connection with the fire. Those detained were accused of abusing their authority to permit illicit construction practices to occur. The three were reported to be Gao Weizhong, director of Jing'an's construction and transportation commission; Zhang Quan, of the commission's main office; and Zhou Jianmin, of the organization's construction department.
foam insulation used on the building's outer walls. In China, the foam is commonly used as insulation material without the addition of flame retardant
s, and the foam produces toxic gases and carbon monoxide
when burned. The Beijing Television Cultural Center was said to have used polyurethane insulation, which magnified the ferocity of a 2009 fire that consumed the center. In a 24 November press conference, local authorities said that the two apartments next to the destroyed building would be renovated as well, and that foam cladding on their exteriors would be replaced switched out in favor of fire-resistant materials. Chinese citizens have also questioned the lack of an indoor fire sprinkler system in high rise buildings.
s. At one point, the crowd stretched around 250 metres (820.2 ft) down the road.
According to Xinhua, about 10,000 people attended a public mourning at the site on 21 November, seven days after the fire; mourners left large amounts of flowers surrounding the burnt building. The seventh day after death is the day that Chinese people believe the souls of the dead return to their relatives before departing, and mourners at the site burned paper and made a feast for the deceased, in accordance with Chinese tradition. During the event, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
played "Ave Maria
" and monks recited sūtra
s at a local temple.
On 19 December 2010, the 35th day following the fire, authorities were reported to be detaining mourners who were visiting the site. According to Chinese legend, souls of the dead also visit humans 35 days after death, but police were taking mourners away on buses. Local officials did not provide an explanation for the event.
Tower block
A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, office tower, apartment block, or block of flats, is a tall building or structure used as a residential and/or office building...
building in the city of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China, killing at least 58 people and injuring more than 70 others (with at least one source reporting more than 120 others injured).
An investigation under the PRC State Council
State Council of the People's Republic of China
The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
was announced on 16 November, the day after the fire, to determine the cause of the blaze. A preliminary finding by investigators concluded that sparks from welding work being done on the building, undertaken by unlicensed welders, ignited scaffolding
Scaffolding
Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes or tubes, although it can be from other materials...
around the structure, which led to the apartment's destruction. The municipal government also placed the blame on illegal multi-layered subcontracting, and detained four managers from several construction companies. In all, sixteen individuals have been arrested in connection to the fire, including four others accused of being unlicensed welders.
The week after the fire, city officials announced a compensation plan for victims of the fire and their families. The fire also prompted the government to pass stricter regulations on the construction industry, as well as increased fire safety inspections. Some citizens have criticized the government, accusing it of censoring the media and providing an inadequate response to the fire.
Fire
The fire began at 2:15 pm local time (06:15 UTC) around the tenth floor. The building, constructed in 1997, was located at the intersection of Jiaozhou Road and Yuyao Road in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
's Jing'an District
Jing'an District
Jing'an District is one of the central districts of Shanghai. It has an area of 7.62 km². With 305,300 inhabitants it is one of Shanghai's most densely populated districts....
, and was being renovated at the time of the fire. Witnesses said that the fire started with construction materials and spread throughout the building. It took over 80 fire engines and several hours to contain the fire. Shanghai residents were able to see smoke from the fire several kilometres away. Firefighters were unable to hose water on the top of the 85 metres (278.9 ft)-tall building from the ground.
China Youth Daily
China Youth Daily
The China Youth Daily is the official newspaper of Communist Youth League of China , and is a popular official daily newspaper and the first independently operated central government news media portal in the People's Republic of China.In 1980s it was regarded as the best newspaper in mainland...
reported that the contractor for the construction said the cause of the fire was probably sparks caused by welding work done on the 20th floor. Qiu Jingshu, a worker on the 18th floor, said sparks from welding being done on another building flew over and caused the scaffolding to catch fire. Afterward, it was established that the fire "was caused by unlicensed welders improperly operating their equipment", and several welders were arrested.
Rescue efforts
Firefighters were able to save over 100 people out of 156 families living in the high-rise apartment building. According to Al JazeeraAl Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, the fire began at the scaffolding that surrounded the building, but spread to the complex's main building of around 500 apartments. Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
said the fire was contained at about 6:30 pm local time (10:30 UTC), more than four hours after it began.
Three helicopters had been called in to assist in the rescue, but were prevented by thick smoke generated by the fire. The upper portion of the building was beyond the reach of fire apparatus
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
; the blaze was brought under control only after firefighters set up hoses atop a nearby building. In all, 25 fire stations and over 100 fire appliances were mobilised in response to the incident.
Television coverage of the event showed people holding on to scaffolding around the building, and some were able to climb down to safety. One worker on the 28th floor said that workers were adding insulation to the building when the fire broke out.
Victims not in hospitals, as well as evacuees from three surrounding city blocks, were sent to public buildings, including a school and a stadium, until their housing situation could be addressed.
Casualties
The building housed around 440 people, mainly retired teachers. An early report showed that the ages of those injured in the fire range from 3 to 85, with the majority (64.5%) over the age of 50. Most of the injured appeared to be elderly residents or children, and it was confirmed that the youngest victim of the fire was 16 months old. A firefighter said that 57 of the 58 killed had died inside the building.Earliest reports put the death toll at eight, but Xinhua later revised the count several times, and then finally confirmed 53 deaths. 26 bodies were identified using DNA tests. Some media outlets reported 79 fatalities by adding the number of identified victims to the number of previously reported fatalities, although Xinhua later said that the 26 identified were included amongst the 53.
As of 24 November, 58 people (22 males and 36 females) were officially reported dead while 56 people remained missing. The Global Times
Global Times
The Global Times is a daily Chinese tabloid under the auspices of the official Chinese Communist Party newspaper, the People's Daily, focusing on international issues...
reported that, as of 28 December 2010, 71 people had been injured, and 36 were still missing. Of the deceased, 57 were identified by DNA tests early on, while one male, from Japan, was still being identified when the official death count was released.
A doctor at Shanghai's Jing'an Hospital said that over 20 people injured in the fire had been admitted, many suffering from asphyxia
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
caused by smoke inhalation. State media reports said the hospital was treating 55 survivors, including nine in serious condition. At least 70 people, and possibly more than 120 people were reported to have been injured. According to BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, people who survived the blaze were searching hospitals for missing family and friends. As of 24 November, 66 wounded people, 14 of which were in critical condition, were being treated at seven area medical centers. In all, nine hospitals received victims of the fire.
The list of the dead was not released as the victims' families wanted privacy. Authorities said more than one-third of the families did not want the names of the deceased published. However, several newspapers listed some of the names of the dead. The artist Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist, active in sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. Ai collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008...
compiled an unofficial list of the victims' names by contacting their relatives, along with officials and journalists. He claimed that the actual death toll was two more than the official count, but authorities did not provide access to the list of casualties.
Investigation
Meng JianzhuMeng Jianzhu
Meng Jianzhu is the Minister of the Public Security of the People's Republic of China.-Life and career:Meng was born in July 1947, a native of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.Meng was one of the deputy mayors of Shanghai from 1993 to 1996...
, the PRC Minister of Public Security
Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Public Security , is the principal police and security authority of the mainland of the People's Republic of China and the government agency that exercises oversight over and is ultimately responsible for day-to-day law enforcement...
, went to Shanghai to manage rescue operations. Jing'an officials set up temporary lodging and food at area hotels, and some survivors stayed at a gymnasium overnight. After the flames were extinguished, the Shanghai Municipal Government held a press conference about the damage caused by the fire. Liu Jinguo, Vice Minister of Public Security, described the firefighting as "a successful model", leading to a dispute by Chinese netizen
Netizen
The term Netizen is a portmanteau of the English words internet and citizen. It is defined as an entity or person actively involved in online communities and a user of the internet, especially an avid one. The term can also imply an interest in improving the internet, especially in regard to open...
s. Later in the week of the fire, government officials began a drive to increase fire and safety inspections at buildings and construction sites. They also that improvements would be made to the city's firefighting capabilities.
Local residents said that fire safety requirements at the high-rise were lax, and that workers often tossed used cigarettes into the building's hallways. Week-long safety inspections were done on the two other buildings of the apartment complex, both of which were unharmed. The several hundred people living in those buildings were expected to be allowed to move back on 20 December 2010. Until then, the survivors would live in 17 nearby hotels.
According to Ming Pao
Ming Pao
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
, family members of the victims were dissatisfied with the official investigation and held a sit-in protest, calling for a fair judgement. Some locals blamed the official rescue work by comparing it with a large emergency response exercise on a 330-meter building several days before, and the successful firefighting for a blaze at Shanghai World Financial Center
Shanghai World Financial Center
The most distinctive feature in the design of the building is an aperture at the peak. The original design specified a circular aperture, in diameter, to reduce the stresses of wind pressure, as well as serve as a subtext for the design, since "Chinese mythology represents the earth with a square...
in 2007. Others blamed an ineffective firefighting system for the high death toll, and were dissatisfied that they were not given more details about the fire.
In Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, authorities halted renovation projects similar to the one being done on the apartment in Shanghai shortly after the blaze. The projects, intended to save energy by installing insulation, were stopped on 19 November, pending safety evaluations of the work. The insulation is still flammable, despite the use of fire retardants. Shanghai officials temporarily stopped such renovations after the fire, but later allowed them to resume.
On 20 December 2010, the mayor of Shanghai, Han Zheng
Han Zheng
Han Zheng is the current mayor of Shanghai, the 13th to serve in the position since the founding of the People's Republic of China...
, said that the city would crack down on unfair practices of construction companies and contracting firms. Han said that there is little regulation of the construction industry and that certain companies have had advantages over other companies when being awarded contracts. On 11 January 2011, Shanghai authorities placed into effect a new set of regulations aimed at better official supervision of construction companies. The city will also require that such companies will not be permitted to have any non-official relationship with local government offices after one year. Some media organizations had been questioning the connections between Jing'an District's government and the contracting groups involved in the fire, leading to accusations of corruption.
Compensation
On 23 November, it was announced that the families of each victim of the fire would receive 960,000 yuanChinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...
in compensation for the ordeal. The compensation would include 650,000 yuan for every death and 310,000 yuan in financial assistance from the government and charities. Zhang Renliang, the top official of Jing'an District, said that Shanghai residents and foreign workers would be compensated equally. Survivors of the blaze would be fully compensated for the loss of possessions and property. Some who lost relatives in the disaster, however, were not satisfied with the announcement. They said that the compensation plan was not enough to pay for another apartment in the district, and that would rather have a new apartment than the money.
Media censorship allegations
Hong Kong-based Sing Tao DailySing Tao Daily
The Sing Tao Daily is Hong Kong's second largest Chinese language newspaper. It is owned by Sing Tao News Corporation Limited, of which Charles Ho Tsu Kwok is the chairman. Its English language sister paper is The Standard...
and Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao
Lianhe Zaobao
Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao , commonly abbreviated as Lianhe Zaobao , is the largest Singapore based Chinese-language newspaper with a daily circulation of about 176,000. Published by Singapore Press Holdings , it was formed on March 16, 1983 as a result of a merger between Nanyang Siang Pau and...
reported that four journalists from Xinjing News (新京报), China Daily
China Daily
The China Daily is an English language daily newspaper published in the People's Republic of China.- Overview :China Daily was established in June 1981 and has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in the country...
, Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
and a local newspaper were detained for one hour as security forces demanded a guarantee for positive news coverage by the journalists, before they were to interview families of the victims at a funeral parlour. The reporters wrote about their detainment on two websites.
A Chinese webmaster said that the authorities demanded for Chinese websites to cut down on their reporting of the fire, and only allowed usage of the official Xinhua news source. The New York Times reported that Chinese website Huasheng Online was blocked by government censors after criticizing the country's real-estate industry.
Responsibility
Han Zheng said on 22 November that the city was largely responsible for the disaster. He said, "Poor supervision of the city's construction industry was one of the causes behind the high-rise apartment building fire. And we are responsible for that." Willy Wo-Lap Lam, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong KongChinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a research-led university in Hong Kong.CUHK is the only tertiary education institution in Hong Kong with Nobel Prize winners on its faculty, including Chen Ning Yang, James Mirrlees, Robert Alexander Mundell and Charles K. Kao...
, said Han was trying "to do some damage control to dispel anger and to comfort the families of the victims and the Shanghai people." Luo Lin, chief of the PRC State Administration of Work Safety
State Administration of Work Safety
The State Administration of Work Safety , reporting to the State Council, is the non-ministerial agency of the Government of the People's Republic of China responsible for the regulation of risks to occupational safety and health in China....
, blamed the fire on illegal employment methods, poor project oversight, and incompetent, inexperienced workers.
On the day following the fire, Meng Jianzhu said he wanted an investigation into the fire to determine who was responsible for it, so those at fault could be punished appropriately. He told rescue officials to be meticulous in their efforts and that information regarding the fire should be released to the public. He also asked local governments across China to take preventative measures against such fires, including building inspections. A team of investigators, led by the State Administration of Work Safety, was formed under the PRC State Council
State Council of the People's Republic of China
The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
to look into the incident. Many details about the "November 15 Relief and Rehabilitation Working Team" have not been publicly announced.
The investigation into the fire made a preliminary conclusion that negligence by unlicensed welders on the tenth floor caused the bamboo scaffolding and attached nylon netting to catch fire, which subsequently spread to the entire structure. Shanghai authorities detained eight individuals on 16 November, at least four of whom were accused of being unlicensed welders. As of 19 November, a total of twelve individuals were being held by officials in connection to the blaze, including four more who were detained that day. The four were representatives of Jiayi Building Decoration, a part of renovation contractor Jing'an Construction, Shanghai Jing'an Construction Supervision, and the apartment management company.
On 24 December 2010, Shanghai officials announced that three government employees had been taken into custody in connection with the fire. Those detained were accused of abusing their authority to permit illicit construction practices to occur. The three were reported to be Gao Weizhong, director of Jing'an's construction and transportation commission; Zhang Quan, of the commission's main office; and Zhou Jianmin, of the organization's construction department.
Cause of fire
The fire may have been caused by the accidental ignition of polyurethanePolyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
foam insulation used on the building's outer walls. In China, the foam is commonly used as insulation material without the addition of flame retardant
Flame retardant
Flame retardants are chemicals used in thermoplastics, thermosets, textiles and coatings that inhibit or resist the spread of fire. These can be separated into several different classes of chemicals:...
s, and the foam produces toxic gases and carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
when burned. The Beijing Television Cultural Center was said to have used polyurethane insulation, which magnified the ferocity of a 2009 fire that consumed the center. In a 24 November press conference, local authorities said that the two apartments next to the destroyed building would be renovated as well, and that foam cladding on their exteriors would be replaced switched out in favor of fire-resistant materials. Chinese citizens have also questioned the lack of an indoor fire sprinkler system in high rise buildings.
Public mourning
Local citizens put flowers and wreaths near the site, and offered prayers around the destroyed building. Mourners, including Government officials, came bearing chrysanthemumChrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are of the genus constituting approximately 30 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Asteraceae which is native to Asia and northeastern Europe.-Etymology:...
s. At one point, the crowd stretched around 250 metres (820.2 ft) down the road.
According to Xinhua, about 10,000 people attended a public mourning at the site on 21 November, seven days after the fire; mourners left large amounts of flowers surrounding the burnt building. The seventh day after death is the day that Chinese people believe the souls of the dead return to their relatives before departing, and mourners at the site burned paper and made a feast for the deceased, in accordance with Chinese tradition. During the event, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra is an influential orchestra in China. The music director is Long Yu.It was founded in 1879 as Shanghai Public Band, one of the earliest orchestras in Eastern Asia. It was renamed to Shanghai Municipal Council Symphony Orchestra in 1922. Starting in 1919, an Italian...
played "Ave Maria
Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
The Bach/Gounod Ave Maria is a popular and much-recorded setting of the Latin text Ave Maria.Written by French Romantic composer Charles Gounod in 1859, his Ave Maria consists of a melody superimposed over the Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846, from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier, written by...
" and monks recited sūtra
Sutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
s at a local temple.
On 19 December 2010, the 35th day following the fire, authorities were reported to be detaining mourners who were visiting the site. According to Chinese legend, souls of the dead also visit humans 35 days after death, but police were taking mourners away on buses. Local officials did not provide an explanation for the event.
See also
- Skyscraper fireSkyscraper fireA skyscraper fire or high-rise fire is a class of structural fire specific to tall buildings. Skyscraper fires are one of the most technical fire suppression challenges posed to modern fire departments, and require a high degree of organization and cooperation among participating units to be...
- Beijing Television Cultural Center fire
- 1996 Garley Building fire