A high-rise office building in Changsha, central China, saw a major fire break out on 16 September 2022, though no casualties have been reported and the cause of the fire is still unknown.
CCTV, the state broadcaster, reported that “Thick smoke billowed from the site and dozens of floors burned ferociously.” A photograph released by CCTV on social media revealed the 218-meter building enveloped in flames with thick black smoke issuing from all sides.
State-Owned telecommunications company
The fire was soon contained as another photograph released by CCTV showed fire services at the scene, dousing the flames in water. Changsha Fire and Rescue reportedly dispatched 36 fire appliances and 280 firefighters.
The fire was soon contained as another photograph released by CCTV showed fire services at the scene
The building is owned by a state-owned telecommunications company, China Telecom.
The company later released a statement on social media saying, “By about 4.30 pm today, the fire at our No 2 Communications Tower in Changsha has been extinguished. No casualties have yet been discovered and communications have not been cut off. The fire department for the Hunan province also confirmed the news on Weibo, adding. At present, the fire has been extinguished, and we have not yet discovered any casualties.”
Areas with high populations
Fires are commonplace in China where there is unauthorized construction and a lack of building regulation. The company building, which is also known as the Lotus Garden China Telecom Building, was constructed in 2000, next to a major ring road.
At the time, it was the tallest building in Changsha. While high-rises are widespread in many Chinese cities, since 2021, attitudes towards them have been changing. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has issued severe restrictions on the construction of buildings that are over 250 meters high, with a complete ban on skyscrapers that are over 500 meters high. Much of this has been due to safety concerns in areas with high populations.