Global Courant
SHANGHAI — The Security Committee of China’s State Council and municipal and provincial governments held emergency video conferences and issued warnings about fire danger and safety in the wake of a blast in northwestern China that killed 31 on Wednesday.
Separately, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has issued an emergency circular, calling on all places in the country to investigate “hidden dangers” and strengthen surveillance and inspection.
Wednesday’s explosion at a BBQ restaurant prompted President Xi Jinping to order a security review across China and call on all regions to rectify security risks.
Another deadly fire at a hospital in Beijing in April killed 29 people.
After a hastily convened video conference on Thursday, Beijing Mayor Yin Yong stressed that a lot of attention should be paid to investigating and remedying fire hazards.
Both the Beijing municipal government and the provincial governments of Sichuan, Guizhou and Hainan have drawn full attention to fire hazards and the safe handling of liquefied gas.
Wednesday’s explosion at the two-story restaurant sparked discussion on Chinese social media about the safety of barbecue restaurants, which have once again gained popularity this year, lifting zero-Covid kerbs and hype among online influencers.
Seven people were still being treated for burns and cuts from broken glass after the blast, which was caused by a leaking LPG tank at the restaurant, Xinhua reported Thursday.
“All barbecue shops in the country should be shut down and corrected,” one Chinese social media user wrote on the popular Twitter-like microblog Weibo.
“Profit must not be earned with the blood of the people.”
The restaurant in Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia and a tourism center in the region, is well known locally with a loyal following, according to media reports. The blast occurred during rush hours, with high school students and retirees reportedly among the dead.
The explosion occurred on the eve of a long holiday weekend as millions of tourists prepared to hit the road during the Dragon Boat Festival that began Thursday.
Sichuan governor Huang Qiang said his province would immediately conduct an investigation and treatment of gas safety risks. REUTERS
