Tales of heroes emerge from tragedy

By Hu Meidongand Zhang Lei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-02-03 07:56

FUZHOU -- Yang Xiaofang, the young waitress who died in the bar fire in Changle, Fujian province, on Sunday, was just doing what she always did; trying to help others, her father said Monday.

"My daughter was a very kind person and would always try to help people who needed it," he said.

Yang, 21, had managed to escape the blaze, but when firefighters arrived she re-entered the burning building in an effort to save a colleague, her father said.

Tragically, she and her friend were both overcome by fire and fumes.

Seventeen people died and 22 were injured when fire tore through the Latin-style bar shortly after midnight on Sunday.

Charred wall and ceiling are seen inside a bar after a big fire that killed 15 people and injured 20 others, in Changle, east China's Fujian, in this photo taken on February 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

The local government said the blaze began after a group of revelers who were celebrating a birthday lit fireworks at their table.

Twenty-two-year-old Zheng Lingshan survived the fire with just minor burns to her face and head. Her younger sister, Zheng Lingyan, is in a critical condition at a hospital in Xiehe.

"I am alive because my sister came to my rescue," Zheng Lingshan said yesterday.

She said her sibling had managed to escape the initial blaze but when she found out her older sister was still inside, she went back to save her.

As the pair was exiting the smoke-filled room, Zheng Lingyan fell down into the fire, Zheng Lingshan said.

"She was burnt so badly," the distressed woman said.

"Even her finger nails were burnt off."

Another of the survivors, a man surnamed Chen, told China Daily the reason he managed to escape was because he was a regular and knew the layout of the bar.

"If I didn't, I would be dead, just like my two friends," he said.

Many of the survivors said their burns were caused by being hit by swathes of burning material used as soundproofing in the ceiling's structure.

Also, when the fire was at its worst, the room was full of noxious gases, which overcame many people as they tried to escape from the bar, they said.

Chen, a former employee, said the bar's management had never conducted any safety checks or installed any firefighting equipment.

Following the fatal blaze, the Fujian government ordered the temporary closure of all 112 entertainment venues in Chengle so that thorough safety checks can be carried out.

The owner of the bar, surnamed Zheng, has been detained and his bank accounts have been frozen, police said on Sunday.

Fourteen of the 17 killed have now been identified, officials said.

The youngest was just 17 years old.

The remains of the victims are being held at the Changle funeral parlor, the government said.

Also, compensation for the families of the victims is being negotiated, it said.

The city government initially said it would pay 150,000 yuan ($22,000) to each family.