A barbecue restaurant located in Northeastern China, specifically in the city of Yinchuan, which is part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region had an unfortunate emergency this week. The restaurant burnt in flames after an explosion that took place on Wednesday, June 21 at approximately 8:40 p.m. The Chinese authorities reported that the accident was provoked by a gas leak.
In response to the emergency, 20 vehicles and 100 personnel members were sent to the scene. Reportedly, seven people resulted injured and one of them is in a critical state. The affected restaurant was located on a busy street and the accident occurred during a holiday. As a result, 31 people were also found dead after the blast.
Chinese President Xi Jinping commented on the situation saying that it was “heartbreaking” at that it was a “profound lesson,” according to Chinese media. The leader also demanded a more thorough investigation to clarify the events surrounding the tragedy.
In concordance with Yinchuan’s government’s official WeChat account, two restaurant staff members sent a cook to buy a new gas valve, because the previous one had been broken. As the man was replacing the item, the explosion occurred. Many users have stated that the emergency was totally preventable and saw it as an irresponsible act with a lack of attention.
“They smelled the gas leak an hour ago … and dared to (keep the valve) open for an hour, not evacuating the crowd at that time … It could have been avoided, and 31 people’s lives were lost in this way, which made people so angry.”
Following the situation, Chinese authorities reported that they have detained nine people, including the owner and shareholders of the establishment, and have also frozen all assets of the restaurant. As investigations to clarify this tragedy are conducted, the government will be setting up a plan of measures to inspect areas, industries, and buildings to prevent further risks.