Tragedy in China! 20 Elderly Perish in Nursing Home Fire

A devastating fire ripped through a nursing home in northern China’s Hebei province late Tuesday, claiming the lives of 20 elderly residents and leaving a community in mourning.

The inferno, which erupted around 9 pm in Longhua County, Chengde City, engulfed the Guoen Senior Home—a 300-bed facility housing 260 vulnerable occupants—before being doused by 11 pm, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Of the 39 residents present, 20 perished, while 19 others were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical checks. Among the home’s population, records cited by Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reveal a stark vulnerability: 98 were fully disabled, 84 semi-disabled, and 78 capable of self-care.

The facility, licensed to provide lodging, meals, and daycare for the elderly and disabled, now stands as a grim testament to China’s recurring fire safety woes.

Police have detained the nursing home’s overseer as investigations into the blaze’s cause intensify. This tragedy echoes a January 2024 fire in Jiangxi province, where 39 died due to illegal basement construction, costing USD 5.9 million and leading to the punishment of over 50 officials. With lax building codes often blamed for such disasters, questions swirl anew about oversight and accountability.