In the early hours of June 10th, a fire broke out at the Xiaoshan Xigou agricultural trading market in Chaonan District, Shantou, Guangdong. Sources revealed that three children perished in the blaze, with reports indicating they had sought help from their uncle before the fire consumed the building.
Video footage circulated online showed the raging flames and thick smoke at the scene, with firefighters working to contain the situation.
According to local sources interviewed by Dafeng News, the fire occurred around 1 a.m., claiming the lives of three children. Among the victims were a fourth grader, a fifth grader, and a middle school sophomore.
Relatives of the deceased children told the Beijing News that the children resided in the attic above a merchandise shop within the market. The ground floor housed the shop while the living space was on the upper floor. At the time of the incident, the children’s mother was out buying medicine. One of the boys had sought help from his uncle, but by the time the uncle arrived five minutes later, the fire had already destroyed the building.
The family member mentioned that the fire originated from several shops in front of theirs at the agricultural trading market, which comprises over 20 food vendors. The children’s family occupied one of the shops located at the back of the market.
The news of the fire at the agricultural trading market drew significant attention online.
Some internet users shared additional details, revealing that two of the girls were affected by smoke inhalation, and the boy, upon realization, called nearby relatives, mentioning the fire and being unable to open the door. After the fire was extinguished, the boy was found burnt to death near the entrance.
Furthermore, another netizen disclosed that the victims were from a single-parent family. The father had passed away a few years ago, and the mother now has four children, with three tragically losing their lives in the fire, leaving behind an 18-year-old sibling.
On the evening of June 10th, the Chaonan District Emergency Management Bureau reported that a fire broke out at a shop within the Xiaoshan Street, Xigou Village market in Chaonan District around 1 a.m., extinguished by 2:40 a.m., resulting in the deaths of three individuals. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.