The deadly fire that engulfed an apartment building in Shanghai on Monday has claimed at least 53 lives, while 47 people still remain missing. The catastrophe is being blamed on careless actions by welders. While the investigation continues, the blaze has set off alarm bells over fire safety in tower blocks, which are considered vulnerable in such circumstances.

Monday afternoon's intense blaze in this downtown apartment building has left a blackened and painful scar on a once peaceful neighborhood.

Vehicles are not allowed within one block of the gutted building, but Shanghai residents from near and far continue to visit the scene, mourning the deceased and sharing opinions of the fire.

A Shanghai resident said, "My colleague was inside the building alone when the fire broke out. We practiced taichi together on Monday morning. In the afternoon, she's gone forever."

A Shanghai resident said, "Everyone should be prepared and be aware of the fire safety measures."

It's believed that unlicensed welders ignited flammable nylon netting and bamboo on the scaffolding. At least 53 people died and the intensity of the blze has laid bare the risks and dangers of highrise living. The towering buildings can produce a stack effect, which quickly spreads the smoke to a height where even the tallest ladder can not reach.

Professor Chen Baosheng, an expert in disaster prevention, says once a fire breaks out, the fire doors, smoke detectors and automatic sprinklers should mitigate the disastrous effects.

Prof. Chen Baosheng, Dept. of architecture of Tongji University, said, "Just like this stadium. Each building should be divided into different zones in preventing fires. Smoke detectors and sprinklers should be installed every 3.6 meters and fire doors should remain closed all the time."

Shanghai is home to the world's largest number of highrises. There are currently over 14-thousand buildings that are over eight stories in height. Five-hundred are over one hundred meters. While some believe the web of tower blocks display the city's wealth, and the country's fast urbanization, others are worry these buildings fall short of adequate fire safety measures and enforcement.

Experts have yet to find out whether this particular building had properly installed fire safety equipment. Professor Chen believes warns that proper regulation is urgently needed.

Professor Chen Baosheng said, "Fire prevention technologies in high-rises are up-to-date. But I think we should step up efforts in terms of regulations and maintenance. Firedoors and exits should not be blocked and in the case of this particular building, the welding that involves the use of fire should be notified beforehand and supervised."

The massive blaze has many Shanghai residents checking out the fire prevention equipment in their own building. Many say they need to learn more about what to do during an emergency.

High-rise fire fighting poses a global challenge. Fanned by wind, the blaze could engulf a thirty story building within half a minute, giving residents slim chance of survival. The tragedy happened here inside this building calls for serious attention from the government to tighten enforcement of safety measures and to stop these deadly tragedies from being a common occurrence.

Go to Forum >>0 Comments