On December 9th, in the early morning hours, a barbecue restaurant in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia caught fire, and the flames quickly spread to the entire building. Official reports stated that the fire resulted in one fatality, a fact that has been questioned by netizens.
Videos circulating online showed a tall building in Hohhot engulfed in a raging fire, with flames climbing up the walls and spreading from the ground floor to the entire structure. The bright glow of the fire illuminated the night sky, creating a haunting scene.
According to a report by the Hohhot Fire Brigade on December 9th, a fire broke out in a barbecue restaurant on the first floor of Hailiang Square in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, in the early hours of the day, and the flames were extinguished by 3:26 am.
The report confirmed that the fire resulted in one fatality. However, some netizens commented on videos questioning the official report, claiming that they had seen reports indicating four deaths and four injuries when they woke up in the morning.
Local netizens who were familiar with the area revealed that “if there is a fire inside Hailiang Square, ordinary people would not be able to find the exit, as the layout is too complex. Especially underground, it’s chaotic, similar to the underground of the previous railway station.”
Another netizen raised doubts, saying, “If it’s as complicated as you described, then why was there only one person? Could the people inside easily escape? Perhaps the authorities concealed a certain number of casualties through standard procedures.”
Some netizens expressed their thoughts, remarking, “It was already a bleak world, and this fire has hastened its end,” and “It’s all over now.”
The tragic incident has sparked discussions on social media platforms, with concerns raised about fire safety measures, emergency response capabilities, and the transparency of information provided to the public in such situations. The community mourns the loss of life and hopes for a thorough investigation into the causes of the fire to prevent such tragedies in the future.