A fire broke out in a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian, causing at least 28 deaths. After the incident, videos circulated on Douyin showing some factory workers in the local area carrying fire extinguishers to work. Many netizens criticized this formalistic approach, stating that it not only fails to solve the problem but also adds burden to the workers.
Videos posted by multiple Douyin accounts show workers in shoe and clothing factories in Fujian carrying fire extinguishers while working. In the videos, several workers are seen carrying heavy fire extinguishers while performing their tasks, which appears to be quite inconvenient.
Netizens expressed concerns, saying, “These things don’t seem light. Carrying them for a whole day at work must be exhausting.” Some criticized the formalistic approach, stating that it doesn’t address the issue and only adds to the burden on the workers. They believe that focusing on safety inspections is more crucial than these superficial gestures.
This is not the first time such a phenomenon has occurred in mainland China. Several years ago, following a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in Yinchuan, some restaurants and barbecue shops temporarily required employees to carry fire extinguishers to work.
At that time, the mainland media “Red Star News” reported that a barbecue shop near Hongqi Street in Shijiazhuang claimed that employees voluntarily carried fire extinguishers to prevent potential disasters.
However, many netizens questioned this practice, saying, “In the hot summer, kitchens are already hotter than usual places. I don’t believe employees would voluntarily carry fire extinguishers, considering the weight. It must be done out of necessity since laborers have limited say in such matters.”