A tragic fire at a nursing home in northern China’s Hebei Province has claimed the lives of 20 people, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The blaze broke out overnight in Chengde City, devastating the care facility and prompting a major emergency response.
Officials have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which tore through the nursing home while most residents were likely asleep. While details remain limited, rescue operations concluded early Tuesday morning, and authorities confirmed that all fatalities occurred at the scene.
Emergency crews, including firefighters and medical personnel, responded quickly to the call, but were unable to prevent the high death toll. The identities of the victims have not been released, and no additional injuries have been reported at this time.
The incident marks one of the deadliest nursing home fires in recent years in China and has raised renewed concerns about safety standards and fire prevention measures in elder care facilities.
This latest tragedy comes just days after another nursing home fire in southern China. On April 4, a blaze at a facility in Guangdong Province left three people dead and ten others injured. That fire also remains under investigation, but the back-to-back incidents have sparked national attention and calls for urgent reforms in fire safety protocols for care institutions.
China’s rapidly aging population has led to a sharp rise in the number of elder care facilities in recent years, many of which are under-resourced or located in older buildings with limited fire safety infrastructure. Advocacy groups and experts have long warned that such institutions are vulnerable to emergencies, particularly fires, due to outdated electrical systems, inadequate staff training, and poor emergency planning.
In response to the recent fires, officials from China’s Ministry of Emergency Management have urged local governments to conduct comprehensive fire safety inspections of all elder care centers, particularly in rural and suburban areas. Authorities have pledged to hold those responsible accountable if safety violations are found.
Public mourning and condolences have poured in on Chinese social media, with citizens expressing grief and frustration over what many see as preventable tragedies. Several hashtags related to the Hebei fire have trended on the platform Weibo, with users demanding transparency and swift action.
As investigations into both the Hebei and Guangdong fires continue, families of the victims await answers and assurances that systemic changes will be made to protect some of the country’s most vulnerable residents.
Local government officials in Chengde have promised a full inquiry into the fire, and support services have been made available to the families of the victims. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
