China's State Council approves hospital fire investigation report

China's State Council recently approved the investigation report of a serious hospital fire that occurred at Beijing Changfeng Hospital on April 18, which resulted in the loss of 29 lives and 42 injuries, according to Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident, which took place in Beijing's Fengtai district in April has led to a direct economic loss of 38.31 million yuan ($5.23 million), according to the authorities.

The investigation, conducted by the State Council's accident investigation team, concluded that the fire was a result of illegal and improper renovation work carried out by the hospital, poor construction safety management, inadequate daily supervision, long-term fire hazards, noncompliant operations by the construction unit and the absence of on-site safety management.

In addition, the ineffective emergency response and the failure of local governments and relevant departments to fulfill their responsibilities led to this major safety accident.

After thorough analysis including video analysis, on-site inspection, testing and identification, as well as simulation experiment analysis, the accident investigation team has determined that the primary cause of the accident was the construction site of the renovation project of the hospital.

It was found that the construction unit had violated regulations during the construction process. Specifically, the volatile flammable and explosive components present in the construction materials had formed explosive gas mixtures which ultimately led to a deflagration event.

Nearby combustible materials were set ablaze, giving rise to open flames and generating high-temperature smoke that ignited the wooden decoration materials in the building.

Furthermore, it was discovered that certain fire compartments failed to function effectively, and fixed firefighting facilities proved to be inadequate, leading to the rapid spread of the fire and smoke.

Additionally, it was noted that due to insufficient initial response measures, the evacuation and transfer of patients from high-rise buildings were not effectively coordinated. It has resulted in significant casualties, highlighting the need for better emergency protocols and procedures.

As a result of the investigation, the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision have decided to impose an administrative warning on Jin Wei, a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee and vice-mayor of the capital, who is responsible for overseeing the health and hygiene matters of the city.