At least 24 people injured in sudden fire at roadside shops in Wuhou District, Chengdu

On Thursday morning, a major fire broke out in a street-front shop near Huaxi Hospital in Wuhou District, Chengdu. At least 24 people were injured, some severely, with some requiring intubation for rescue.

Around 11 a.m. on October 31, a fire broke out in the stairwell of the first floor of a hotel at 2 Huangmen Back Street in Wuhou District, Chengdu. The flames were extinguished by 11:15 a.m., with the affected area measuring approximately 10 square meters. The thick smoke spread to the hotel’s second floor, leading to 24 individuals being sent to the hospital for examination and treatment due to smoke inhalation.

Among the injured, 2 individuals are in critical condition, with one in life-threatening condition, 5 are receiving treatment for serious injuries, and 17 are lightly injured and are under observation and treatment at the hospital. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

A circulated video showed that the street-front shop had multiple signs, including one with the words “Pudding Hotel.” The scene was engulfed in fierce flames with red fire burning intensely. Rescuers were seen carrying a woman who had already lost consciousness from the second floor.

Witnesses reported that from their vantage point, it appeared that a restaurant on the first floor was on fire, adjacent to a pharmacy, with a budget hotel on the upper floor.

Another witness stated that after the fire started, smoke filled the corridors of the first and second floors, and they saw multiple injured individuals being rescued from the burning building and taken to the hospital.

An employee from a restaurant at the scene mentioned that the fire occurred before the peak dining hours, with several customers being sent to the hospital for treatment. Some of the injured individuals may have come from a nearby guesthouse.

According to a report from “Xiaoxiang Morning News,” around 2 p.m. that day, information obtained from nearby businesses indicated that the fire originated in the pharmacy on the first floor. Additionally, there are multiple hotels above the pharmacy. An employee from a hotel on the third floor of the building where the incident happened mentioned that the building could not operate today.

As reported by “Huashangbao Dafeng News,” information from Huaxi Hospital revealed that as of 1:30 p.m., the hospital had admitted at least 24 individuals, with some patients being transferred. “Patients with severe injuries are receiving intubation treatment, and some patients are being transferred to affiliated hospitals for treatment. We are still transferring patients.”