On April 18, 2023, a fire broke out in the east building of the inpatient department of Beijing Changfeng Hospital, resulting in the tragic deaths of 29 people, including 26 patients. As we all know, hospitals are highly populated places, and many patients are in weak or immobile conditions. When a fire occurs, people are often left with no time to think or escape, making mass death and casualty highly likely. Looking back at major fire incidents over the years, we must learn from these painful lessons and recognize that fire prevention is a shared responsibility of the entire society.
Hospitals are meant to heal and save lives, yet this one became a place of tragedy. The investigation into the fire at Beijing Changfeng Hospital revealed that the cause was sparks from improper operations during a renovation project, which ignited flammable materials. While this devastating fire has shocked the public, it also prompts us to reflect on whether this disaster could have been avoided. We often sound the alarm and vow to learn from tragedies, yet we repeatedly let our guard down, allowing fires to exploit vulnerabilities. Even the most mundane infrastructure that we often overlooked can become deadly in critical moments.
On August 13, 2018, a fire broke out at Taipei Hospital in New Taipei City, Taiwan, resulting in 9 deaths, 11 severe injuries and 4 minor injuries. The fire was first found in a nursing home on the 7th floor of the hospital building. It was suspected that the fire was caused by the ignition of a foam mattress in the ward. On January 8, 2022, a fire occurred at Hengyang Laiyan Hospital, Wuyi Road, Shigu District, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, causing 6 deaths and 8 injuries, with an affected area of about 300 square meters and direct economic losses of approximately RMB 7.795 million. The investigation found that the third floor of the building where the fire occurred was an illegal structure, lacking planning approval, fire-fighting design, fire acceptance records and formalities for title registration. The roof was illegally constructed with foam-core color steel panels. Additionally, the presence of large amounts of clothing and bedding on the beds of elderly patients, combined with their limited mobility, led to the ignition of the beds and prevented timely self-rescue, resulting in casualties. We often emphasize the importance of adhering to the principle of “safety first, prevention foremost.” As public medical institutions, hospitals must not only provide high-quality medical services but also ensure the safety and security of everyone within their premises. These bloody lessons remind us that we must pay attention to every detail of hospital infrastructure, conduct regular inspections, and solve issues promptly through maintenance and repairs. Only then can we ensure that these systems function effectively in critical moments and prevent such tragedies from recurring.
In conclusion, fire prevention is a shared responsibility of the entire society. Negligence or lax management by any individual can lead to major fire accidents. We must strengthen cooperation, fulfill our respective responsibilities, and work together to continuously improve fire prevention and emergency management, thus guaranteeing public safety as well as people’s lives and property!
