Tragic Bus Fire in Nanjing Claims Lives
By Fu Ming, Voice of Hope Reporter
Nanjing, China – In a devastating incident today, a bus in Nanjing caught fire while in motion, leaving two passengers dead and five others injured. The bus was quickly reduced to an empty shell due to the intense blaze. Official reports have determined that the cause of the fire was the spontaneous combustion of a lithium battery carried by a passenger.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:42 AM on August 20, as an intercity bus, with the license plate Anhui M03799D, was en route to Linchang Station from Lai’an County in Anhui Province. At around noon, emergency services managed to extinguish the flames at the scene. Initial investigations confirmed that a lithium battery carried by one of the passengers triggered the fire, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives and injuries to five others.
Following the incident, mainland netizens took to social media platform Weibo, expressing their concerns about the frequent incidents of lithium battery fires. Netizens questioned the lack of attention given to the quality issues surrounding lithium batteries and why the authorities continue to allow their production without addressing these concerns.
“Lithium battery fire incidents occur frequently, why has the quality of lithium batteries not been paid attention to? Just saying that charging the battery car indoors is not allowed, etc. These fundamentally treat the symptoms but not the root cause. If the quality problem of lithium batteries is not solved, there is no way to talk about safety!” one Weibo user posted.
Video footage captured by witnesses showed the fire erupting violently from the rear of the bus, with flames engulfing the vehicle and thick smoke billowing from the windows. By the time fire engines arrived at the scene, the bus had already been reduced to a charred shell.
Concerns regarding lithium batteries and the authorities’ perceived lack of effective supervision gained traction on Weibo, with users expressing their fears and dissatisfaction.
“Everyone knows that lithium batteries are risky! Spontaneous combustion accidents often occur, but is this risk invincible? No way! After each accident, it is only mentioned that there is a risk and we’re told not to bring batteries here and there. But the investigations into the quality of lithium batteries are never published. Even if there are inevitable risks, there should be quality inspection data,” another user voiced their frustrations.
“It’s always about the national standard and the manufacturer’s problem. Don’t always try to solve the problem on the user!!!” declared one netizen.
Another user referred to a recent investigation on electric vehicles in Guangzhou, stating, “Manufacturers can produce them, merchants can sell them, but buyers can’t ride them!” This sentiment echoes the sentiments of many disillusioned netizens who feel that the responsibility for these incidents should not solely rest on the users.
“Lithium batteries should not be underestimated. Once they explode, extinguishing the fire becomes extremely difficult. Moreover, buses are sealed environments with many flammable materials. The incident happened suddenly, making it difficult to organize effective evacuation in such a short time! In addition, carrying lithium batteries on buses is strictly forbidden! I believe the passengers who caused the accident should bear the main responsibility, and the bus operator should also be held accountable!” urged another concerned Weibo user.
This tragic bus fire has sparked discussions about the safety of lithium batteries and the need for stricter supervision and quality control. As the public demands answers and accountability, authorities must work diligently to ensure the safety of citizens and prevent future incidents like this from occurring.
Editor-in-Charge: Lin Li