Probe Finds Safety Failures in Deadly School Blaze in Central China

Summary:

The official investigation into the deadly fire at the Yingcai School dormitory in Fangcheng county, Henan province, China, which occurred nearly two years ago and resulted in the deaths of 13 primary school students, has concluded that the blaze began due to a primary school student using a lighter to burn a loose thread on his quilt. The investigation’s report, released by the Henan Fire and Rescue Corps, detailed a series of major safety lapses at the private boarding school[para. 1].

Significant safety failures included both overcrowded conditions in the dormitory and physical obstructions, such as blocked emergency exits. The room in question, Room 305, was intended for fewer residents but was crammed with 34 occupants on the night of the fire—33 third-grade boys and an adult supervisor. Beds were densely packed, blocking one of the two doors, effectively limiting escape options. Additional hazards included fire hydrants that were found empty and inaccessible emergency equipment[para. 2][para. 6].

Government oversight and management at various levels were also found lacking. In total, 25 public officials were disciplined for their failures in supervision and enforcement of safety standards, including town and county-level leaders. The State Council oversaw the investigation, and Henan province launched a separate probe into accountability. The economic loss from the incident was estimated at 17.4 million yuan ($2.4 million)[para. 3][para. 4][para. 17][para. 18].

The fire broke out late at night on January 19, 2024, in a boys’ dormitory on the third floor. Official records revealed that the student started the fire shortly before 10:45 p.m. by burning a thread on his quilt, accidentally catching nearby belongings on fire. Despite attempts to smother the flames, the fire quickly spread, fueled by the presence of quilts, jackets, and wooden bunk beds arranged in a dense “large communal bed” style. This layout led to a swift flashover—complete room engulfment—in about 12.5 minutes[para. 5][para. 7][para. 9].

The investigation attributed the high death toll to four main factors: overcrowding far beyond legal limits, students being in deep sleep and thus slow to react, insufficient emergency response from staff, and a complete failure of fire safety infrastructure. Critically, staff delayed contacting emergency services, with the first call to firefighters not made until 15 minutes after ignition, and arriving too late to prevent fatalities. Additionally, smoke detectors lacked batteries, providing no warning, and no water was available from hydrants to fight the flames[para. 10][para. 14][para. 15][para. 16].

All 13 victims died from inhaling high-temperature toxic fumes, specifically carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. After the fire, authorities determined that the Yingcai School was operating without a proper license and that its facilities violated safety regulations. The investigation placed blame on both school management and various county government agencies for severe negligence and regulatory failures[para. 11][para. 12][para. 19][para. 20].

Criminal charges were levied against the school's founder (Li Yu), the principal (Xu Xiangyang), and the dormitory supervisor (Jia Xia), among others, for their roles in the disaster. Their trial is expected to commence soon, as authorities aim to address both institutional and personal accountability following this tragic incident[para. 21][para. 22][para. 23].