What’s trending?

News that a 9-year-old boy saved his family and neighbors from a fire in their apartment building has gone viral on Chinese social media. The hashtag #9-year-old-boy-saved-lives-from-fire-in-a-textbook-way# has been viewed over 10 million times.

What’s the story?

Late on Dec. 18, a 9-year-old Shanghai boy was awakened by a chocking smell in his room. He went to the living room to discover a fire with flames reaching the ceiling. He then rushed to wake his father and grandfather who immediately realized they needed to leave their apartment. While running to leave the building, the boy knocked on every neighbor’s door to raise the alarm. After they got downstairs safely, the boy stopped a passing car to call the fire department.

A top teacher at the boy’s school later said that every pupil had previously attended a public safety class at the beginning of the semester. She said the boy was quiet and commended the way he had maintained his calm during the fire, and said he should serve as a role model to other students.

What are people saying online?

Most people on Chinese social media praised the boy for his heroic behavior. Some credited his school’s safety education class. “Elementary schools and middle schools in Shanghai did really well in teaching the kids about how to handle the hazards,” read one comment.

Some people however said the incident raised broader concerns about safety in Chinese apartment buildings. One Weibo user said, “It’s time to popularize smoke detectors. Especially in cities with high population densities.”

Contact editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com)