List of fires in China

Last updated

This is a list of notable fires in China, part of the series of lists of disasters in China.

Contents

This list includes British Hong Kong and Manchukuo.

Structural fire

Entertainment venues

Particularly fires in theatres and night clubs.

Date, locationNameDeaths, injuredDescription
18 February 1977, Khorgos, Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm fire 694, 161 [1] A war movie was being shown at a hall during the Chinese New Year. A child set off a firecracker and ignited wreaths for the late Mao Zedong, which for over five months no one dared to dispose of. Most deaths were the children of the regiment at their military-agricultural colony.
26 February 1937, Andong (now Dandong), Manchukuo Manchurian Dance Club fire  [ zh ]650, 28During a play, fire spread from a stove in the backstage room to the ceiling, which quickly spread to the lobby. A latch on the main entrance prevented attendees from escaping.
26 February 1918, Hong Kong Happy Valley Racecourse fire 614A horse racing grandstand collapsed and knocked over food stalls.
8 December 1994, Karamay, Xinjiang Karamay fire 325, 130 [2] Students were entertaining visiting officials at a theatre. When the fire broke out, students were ordered to remain seated to allow officials to walk out first.
25 December 2000, Luoyang, Henan Luoyang Christmas fire 309, 7 [3] Sparks caused by welders triggered a fire in the basement, construction workers and retail staff evacuated, forgetting about the nightclub patrons trapped in the upper floors of the building.
27 November 1994, Fuxin, Liaoning Yiyuan Disco fire  [ zh ]233, 4A sofa caught fire from a lit cigarette and newspaper, the fire spread and the buildings quickly collapsed. One of the escape doors was locked, which contributed to the high death toll.
29 March 2000, Jiaozuo, HenanParadise Cinema fire74, ?A fire broke out at an adult cinema. The high death toll was attributed to the owner sealing the entrance to avoid police intrusions. [4]
24 April 1995, Ürümqi, XinjiangÜrümqi karaoke club fire51, ?A fire broke out at an illegal karaoke club. The club, which had been ordered to shut down a week prior, had exits that were blocked or too narrow, which exacerbated the death toll. [5]

Non-entertainment venues

Most fires from 1949 to 1979 were not notable due to lack of records.

Date, locationNameDeaths, injuredDescription
6 January 1878, Tianjin Tianjin soup kitchen fire 2,000 [6] The gate of the soup kitchen was always locked to prevent the hunger from causing social unrest, which prevented evacuation in case of fire.
February 1975, Haicheng, Liaoning Haicheng earthquake 341, 980 [7] The earthquake evacuees lived in self-made tents, which caught fire. [8]
15 February 1959, Yanyuan, Sichuan Longtang Reservoir fire (under-construction)197, 86 [9] Fire started when all the staff were attending a meeting.
5 January 1960, Tongren, Guizhou Tongren Airport fire (under-construction) [10] 175, 5A fire broke out during construction at the Tongren Fenghuang Airport. It is the deadliest airport fire in China.
8 January 1965, Yuli, XinjiangSecond Tarim Field fire172, 10 [11] Most of the deaths were sent-down youth from Shanghai in the 35th Regiment at their military-agricultural colony. [12]
19 November 1993, Shenzhen, Guangdong Zhili Handicraft Factory fire87, 47Managers of the factory blocked exits and windows to avoid workers stealing toys, which exacerbated the death toll. [13] [14] [15]
22 April 2000, Qingzhou, Shandong Qingzhou chicken processing plant fire38, ?A fire broke out at a chicken processing plant. [16]
30 June 2000, Jiangmen, GuangdongJiangmen fireworks factory fire38, ?A fire broke out at a fireworks factory in Jiangmen, which then caused an explosion. [16] [17]
27 November 1996, ShanghaiShanghai residential building fire36, ?Two mentally disabled men committed arson at a residential building. [18]
13 February 1997, Shenzhen, GuangdongShenzhen bus fire33, ?A fire broke out on a bus driving 65 migrant workers to Dongguan. [19]
21 September 1997, Jinjiang, Fujian Jinjiang shoe factory fire32, ?A disgruntled worker set fire to a shoe factory. [16]
13 March 1995, Anshan, LiaoningAnshan hotel fire28, 12A hotel on the top floor of a department store caught fire. [20]
16 June 2002, Haidian district, Beijing Lanjisu internet cafe fire 25, 13Disgruntled youngsters set fire to a crowded two-story internet cafe in Beijing's university district after being banned. This was the deadliest fire in Beijing in more than 50 years.
30 March 2003, Qingdao, ShandongQingdao Chia Tai fire21, ?A fire broke out at a food processing plant. The building collapsed and trapped workers inside. [21]
26 December 1999, Changchun, Jilin Changchun bathhouse fire20, ?A fire broke out in a bathhouse in the basement of a hotel in Changchun. [22]

Forest fire

Date, locationNameDeaths, injuredDescription
May–June 1987, Heilongjiang Black Dragon fire 193, 226Bureaucratic leadership led to the extremely slow response to the fire. [23] [24] [25] [26]

Urban conflagration

Over the history of China, three cities stood out to have suffered from repetitive urban conflagrations, including, Jiankang during the Northern and Southern dynasties, Hangzhou during Song dynasty and Chongqing between late Qing and the early republic. [27] [28]

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References

  1. ↑ "一九七七年 六十一团那场大火" [The great fire to the 61st Regiment in 1977]. Yili Evening News. 2007-02-26. p. B06. Archived from the original on 2022-01-09.
  2. ↑ 张悦 (2006-12-21). "一个轮回后的真相 1994－2006年：克拉玛依大火". 南方周末. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04 – via Sohu.
  3. ↑ "洛阳商厦特大火灾公审". Sina. 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-11-07.
  4. ↑ Gittings, John (2000-04-01). "Fire kills 74 locked in porn cinema". The Guardian . Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  5. ↑ "51 Reportedly Die After China Club Is Swept By Fire". Los Angeles Times. 1995-04-26. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  6. ↑ 李文海. "光绪3年天津粥厂大火事件:保生粥厂不"保生"". 中国文化报. Archived from the original on 2021-12-16.
  7. ↑ 颤抖的地球—地震科学 (2005). Researched by CEA seismologists 冯万鹏,薑文亮,龚丽霞,公茂盛,胡进军; Revised by CEA seismologists 王文清,续春荣,张宝红; Edited by CEA chiefs 谢礼立,张景发. Tsinghua University Press. Pages XIII, 162.
  8. ↑ Photos of such tents taken in 1976 can be found in: 吴彦君 (2012). "我家的防震棚" [The earthquake tents at my home]. In 阿滢 (ed.). 秋缘斋读书记. 天地出版社. Archived from the original on 2022-01-01.
  9. ↑ Editorial Department (2009). "劳动保护安全生产60年大事记(一)(1949-1959)" [60 Years of Labor Protection and Safety in Production (1) (1949-1959)]. 劳动保护杂志[Journal of Labor Protection] (9).
  10. ↑ 赵幼立 [Zhao, Youli] (2002). "铜仁机场史话" [History of Tongren Airport]. 文史天地[World of Literature and History] (10).
  11. ↑ "新疆生产建设兵团大事记(1965年)". 兵团大事记. 2014-08-21. Archived from the original on 2021-08-15.
  12. ↑ 周培兴 (2015-06-02). "上海知青在新疆". Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
  13. ↑ "80 Killed as Fire Sweeps Through Toy Factory in China". Los Angeles Times. 1993-11-20. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  14. ↑ Langfitt, Frank (2013-06-03). "More Than 100 Dead In China Poultry Plant Blaze". NPR . Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  15. ↑ "Victims of the 1993 Zhili Fire". clb.org.hk. 1999-12-31. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
  16. 1 2 3 "China's deadly fires". BBC News . 2000-12-26. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  17. ↑ "Eleven Killed in Factory Bombing". People's Daily . Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  18. ↑ "It's Arson". The Straits Times . 1997-02-04. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  19. ↑ "South China bus fire". United Press International . 1997-02-14. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  20. ↑ "Fire in China Kills 28". Los Angeles Times. 1995-03-15. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  21. ↑ "Chinese Processing Plant Fire Kills 21". Huron Daily Tribune . 2003-04-05. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  22. ↑ "China: 20 die in hotel fire". BBC News . 1999-12-26. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
  23. ↑ 李伟中; 叶研 (1987-06-24). "红色的警告". China Youth Daily. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
  24. ↑ 雷收麦; 贾永 (1987-06-27). "黑色的咏叹". China Youth Daily. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
  25. ↑ 李伟中 (1987-07-04). "绿色的悲哀". China Youth Daily. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
  26. ↑ 中国青年报著名“三极记者”叶研谈“红色的警告”, 2011-07-07, China Youth Daily. An excerpt was published as ：王婷舒 (2017-05-06). "大兴安岭特大火灾30周年 记者叶研谈"三色报道"". China Youth Daily. Archived from the original on 2020-01-15.
  27. ↑ 麻庭光 (2010-11-01). "重庆为何难成都？". 科學網. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02.
  28. ↑ 魏华仙 (2014). "宋代灾民住房安置略论" (PDF). 四川师范大学学报（社会科学版）. 41 (6): 125–126.
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