Falling objects spur call for prevention efforts after two cases reported

There is a growing public call to strengthen prevention and accountability for falling objects and those thrown from tall buildings after two children were hit within a week - with one dead after three days of medical treatment.

A 10-year-old girl in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, was injured by objects thrown from a building on Wednesday. The girl is in stable condition, the city's public security department said on Thursday.

According to the department, the girl was hit by objects thrown by an 8-year-old boy who lives in the building, and was taken to a nearby hospital. The department didn't reveal details about the objects.

Last Thursday, a window from a 20th-floor apartment in Guangdong province fell on the head of a 5-year-old boy who was on the way to kindergarten with his mother.

The boy died on Sunday.

According to the investigation report by the community's management office, the window fell due to an aging frame. The incident has forced local authorities to order window safety checks at the apartment blocks.

The two cases triggered public concerns about the risk of injury due to falling objects.

"Similar accidents were reported in cities where tall buildings are everywhere as a result of urbanization. Although few such accidents were reported to have caused severe damage or injuries to people, prevention efforts should be given more attention," a Weibo user named "swordsman" commented.

After the two cases were reported, a prevention method adopted by a community in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, garnered support from many people.

The community installed 47 cameras that can keep an eye on every corner of the external facade of all 17 buildings in the area.

In the past few years, the community, which is home to about 1,500 families, has witnessed no incidents of objects falling from buildings.

Scientific studies show that a 60 gram egg dropped or thrown from the 18th floor could easily break the skull of an adult. It can even kill a person if dropped or thrown from the 25th floor.

"Objects falling from high places are fatal. Residents need to be aware of the responsibility they should take. Strengthening supervision by installing cameras is a good idea and should be promoted nationwide," a netizen named Nick commented online, though he also worried that the cameras might infringe on residents' privacy.

"It is legal if the cameras are installed with permission from the property owners' committee," said Liu Lin, a lawyer at Beijing Shuangli Law.

Under China's Tort Liability Law, people who throw objects or are responsible for falling objects should compensate victims for injuries or damages.

However, in many cases the person responsible can't be identified, making the case more complicated because all tenants of the building would be responsible.

Apart from raising public awareness and education on the risks of throwing objects from high places, Li Xiangbin, a deputy of the National People's Congress from Anhui province, also suggested public security management dole out punishment such as fines for offenders.

"Anyone who throws objects from high places should be punished, even if their irresponsible actions result in minor damages that are not covered by criminal law," he said.