Probe identifies cause of tragic Hebei nursing home fire

A total of 66 individuals have been held accountable following a fatal fire at a nursing home in Hebei province, with 21 facing criminal prosecution and 45 public officials receiving disciplinary sanctions, according to the results of the official investigation released on Tuesday.

Hebei fire and rescue authority said the fire, which broke out on April 8 at Guo'en nursing home in Longhua county, Hebei province, resulted in 20 fatalities.

Following the incident, Hebei's provincial government established an investigation team, and the State Council's Work Safety Committee placed the case under direct supervision.

The investigation found the direct cause of the fire was a short circuit in a power cord in room 302 of No 6 building. The short circuit ignited clothing and other combustible materials and the fire spread to closets, televisions, and bedding. High-temperature smoke entered the ceiling space and quickly spread to other rooms.

The investigation also revealed that the building had been constructed and renovated in violation of regulations and had polystyrene core sandwich panels in its roof and wooden structures that failed to meet fire resistance standards.

The delayed detection of the fire, its late reporting, an ineffective initial response, and the malfunction of the automatic sprinkler system on the third floor were all identified as key factors that contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze and the large death toll.

The incident has been classified as a major work safety accident caused by a failure to fulfill fire safety responsibilities, the use of unqualified electrical equipment, illegal construction and renovation, inadequate emergency response, and insufficient supervision by local authorities.

A total of 21 individuals from the nursing home, including its head, have been transferred to judicial authorities for suspected criminal offenses.

Meanwhile, the Hebei Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision has initiated accountability procedures, holding 45 public officials responsible for negligence and imposing disciplinary and administrative penalties in accordance with laws and regulations.