Chinese authorities have formally brought criminal charges against five individuals following a devastating dormitory fire that claimed 13 young lives at a primary school in Henan province. The tragic incident, which occurred on January 19, 2024, in Fangcheng county, also left four students injured, with official reports confirming all fatalities resulted from smoke inhalation.
According to investigative findings released by Henan Fire and Rescue, the blaze originated when an eight-year-old student attempted to burn off a loose thread from his quilt using a lighter. The flame subsequently ignited clothing on a neighboring wooden bed, triggering a rapid fire spread accelerated by the dense concentration of bedding, textiles, and wooden materials within the dormitory space.
Those facing criminal measures include Li Yu, the school’s founder and actual controller; Principal Xu Xiangyang; dormitory supervisor and third-grade headteacher Jia Xia; registered school organizer Li Jizhong; and teaching research director Han Qingpo. All have been charged with “causing a major safety incident involving educational facilities” by the Fangcheng County Public Security Bureau.
The investigation further revealed systemic safety failures, resulting in the school’s operating license being revoked due to multiple violations including illegal educational activities, unregistered operation, unauthorized land use, and occupancy of unsafe structures. Beyond individual accountability, disciplinary actions extend to 25 additional personnel across local education, fire rescue, natural resources, housing development, and civil affairs departments who face Communist Party discipline punishments.
In a notable administrative response, both Fangcheng county and Nanyang municipal authorities have been instructed to submit comprehensive self-criticism reports to higher government bodies, acknowledging institutional failures in oversight and safety protocol implementation that contributed to the preventable tragedy.