On the afternoon of October 17th, a traffic accident occurred at the entrance of Yuxiao County Experimental Primary School in Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, causing 8 students to be injured, with the driver responsible for the accident dying at the scene. An eyewitness told Epoch Times that the scene was horrifying, with locals spreading rumors that the driver intentionally rammed into people.
A video circulating online shows a white sedan crashing into the iron sliding gate of Yuxiao Experimental Primary School, deforming the gate as white smoke billows out. People were seen using objects to break the car’s windows and spraying fire extinguishers inside, while parents hurriedly pulled their children away. Several electric motorcycles on the road outside the school were knocked over, simple activity stands by the roadside were smashed, and debris, helmets, and other items were scattered around, creating a chaotic scene. The video also captured multiple adults lying on the ground, some with bleeding head injuries.
Local resident Xiao Lin (alias) recounted that the incident happened around 5 p.m., coinciding with school dismissal time. He was passing by the school gate and saw two elementary school students injured in the accident. “One second-grade boy had a badly injured foot, with exposed bones. The other was a fourth-grade girl who seemed to have injured her hand or neck, as her neck appeared crooked,” Xiao Lin stated. He described the scene as terrifying, with some elderly people who were picking up their children lying on the ground and unable to get up.
Witnesses online commented that the car appeared to have lost control and rammed into Yuxiao Experimental Primary School’s campus after crashing through a barrier. However, some netizens stated that they heard the vehicle caught fire while on the road, with the driver allegedly setting the driver’s compartment on fire before driving into the school during dismissal time.
Xiao Lin mentioned that the driver was pouring gasoline on himself inside the car, intending to commit suicide. Regarding the motive for suicide, local rumors suggest two possibilities: one being related to gambling debts and the other involving a domestic dispute where the driver intended to target his wife. “Locals all say he deliberately rammed into people,” Xiao Lin added.
According to Xiao Lin, a friend’s mother who is a doctor participated in the rescue efforts and mentioned that besides the driver, some other individuals had also died, likely due to unsuccessful rescue attempts.
On the evening of the 17th, the Yunxiao County Public Security Bureau in Zhangzhou, Fujian, reported that at 5:28 p.m. that afternoon, a small motor vehicle caught fire and lost control while driving on Jiangbin Road in Yunling Town, Yunxiao County, hitting pedestrians and causing 8 injuries, with 5 treated and discharged from the hospital, and 3 remaining hospitalized for observation and treatment without life-threatening injuries. The driver had already passed away.
The report did not provide further details on the victims or the case, only stating that further investigations are ongoing. This report sparked skepticism among netizens, with some questioning the plausibility of a vehicle catching fire and losing control. One netizen pointed out various inconsistencies, suggesting the possibility of deliberate retaliation.
The incident has instilled fear among the public, with many expressing concerns about safety near schools and feeling anxious about picking up their children. Some individuals even voiced their reluctance to send their children to school, expressing worries about potential risks.
Some individuals present at the scene claimed that it seemed like an act of social retaliation. Reports indicated that a small car was set on fire and driven into the school. Local authorities reportedly restricted the spread of information, fuelling suspicions of a cover-up.
Given that the Communist Party leader Xi Jinping had visited Fujian for inspections on the 15th and 16th, some netizens speculated that the timing of the incident following his visit may have political implications.