It's Chinese Lantern Festival today, but we've got a very bad ending tonight: A huge fire striked the CCTV (China Central Television) headquarter buildings (actually the North wing building), around 9:10 PM. Chinese Twitter users reported this and uploaded photos to Google docs at the very first time.
Update: This video is from Youku, a very important evidence by a witness at the very first time:
Here're some photos from the Google Doc.
People were watching and worried about the situation:
Two video clips from Youku:
Well, if you've been living in China, especially in Beijing, you would heard of the custom about fireworks/firecrackers – it originated thousands of years ago, and it's still very popular among elder Chinese people. I can even hear firecrackers from almost everywhere when I write this post in Wuhan, 10PM, Feb 9.
As the population goes up, the security issues are also a big problem! Cat Chen, an author of us also wrote something about this early in 2008. I'm also looking forward to some more reasonable but restricted policies for the firecrackers in China.
Wish everyone a safe, happy Chinese Lantern Festival!
Update:
Zhang Jianyong, a fire fighter from Hongmiao Fire department died in this accident. He was born on Feb 26, 1979, from Shenyang, capital of northeastern Liaoning Province. It is really a big sorrow that there're only weeks to go for his 30th birthday!
May He Rest In Peace!
wish no people injured!
It is said that a fireman died in this accident. But not for sure. Good luck to all Chinese people!
Yes, it's already confirmed by Xinhua News Agency. I updated the post.
This is a sad beginning of the New Year. Is the news on this event being harmonized? or guided?
Of course being guided very strictly! You may take a look at Aw's Chinese blog, some commentator had reported some of this.
God bless China! God bless Chinese people!
the fake angle