During the “May Day” holiday in China, a foot massage parlor in Lingbao City, Henan Province, caught fire early in the morning, resulting in the deaths of 6 people. This incident has sparked high-level attention to the fire safety hazards in the so-called “nine small venues.”
According to local official police reports, the fire at the “Lanfeng Foot Massage Parlor” in Lingbao City broke out at 6:30 am on May 2nd, with some individuals trapped inside. Six trapped individuals were found at the scene, but efforts to rescue and treat them proved unsuccessful as they were pronounced dead. Strong smoke traces were discovered at the scene.
Reports by Jumuk News revealed that the foot massage parlor, which is located in the Jin Du Shou Fu residential complex in Lingbao City, was registered under the name “Lanfeng Foot Massage Parlor,” while its storefront account and signboard bore the name “Lanfeng Reflexology.” Platforms show that the parlor has temporarily ceased operations.
According to Tianyancha, the Lanfeng Foot Massage Parlor in Lingbao City was established in December 2025, and the proprietor is a person named Guo.
The fatal fire occurred during the early hours when the establishment was not operating, leading to speculations that the victims may have been overnight guests. Some opinions suggest that foot massage parlors’ compartments are often used as cheap accommodations, with enclosed spaces combined with sponge soundproofing materials that can easily produce toxic smoke and hinder escape during a fire.
A Weibo user, “Wuge Snowball,” posted expressing disbelief at the loss of 6 lives, not due to natural disasters or accidents, but inside a foot massage parlor. They speculated that the victims likely suffocated from inhaling toxic fumes in their sleep.
The article mentioned that those with a little understanding of regulations find the situation suspicious. The parlor neither provides heating nor cooking facilities, raising questions about the source of the fire. More oddly, the timing – 6:30 in the morning is not a typical hour for foot massage parlors to receive customers. Those often socializing outside are aware that many choose to stay overnight in the compartments for convenience or cost savings. In case of a short circuit in the aged wiring, the enclosed space, sponge soundproofing, and lack of an immediate response could have given sleeping individuals no chance to struggle.
“Seeing this news is distressing. Six lives lost, not due to uncontrollable natural events but simply by sleeping in a foot massage parlor.”
Multiple media outlets and netizens have emphasized that foot massage parlors and other “nine small venues” commonly suffer from insufficient fire facilities and weak safety awareness, highlighting the safety management loopholes apparent in such establishments.
The term “nine small venues” mainly refers to nine categories of smaller establishments: small commercial venues such as small shopping malls, small hotels (less than 100 people), small inns (less than 50 beds), small public entertainment venues, small fitness centers, small internet cafes, and small beauty salons. It also includes small production and processing facilities such as small-scale manufacturing enterprises, small educational and medical establishments like small kindergartens, schools, clinics, as well as other venues like small stores dealing with hazardous chemicals.