As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, following a fire incident in Gaomi, Shandong, a fire broke out in multiple shops on the middle section of Quancheng Road in Jinan, Shandong on May 29.
A video circulating on the internet shows raging flames and thick smoke at the scene, with some steel structures exposed, and several fire trucks working to extinguish the fire. Explosions can also be heard in the video.
Local netizens indicated that the incident occurred near the Shandong Provincial Government, which is the busiest pedestrian street in the area. Some netizens speculated whether the absence of gas in these commercial establishments led to a short circuit causing the fire.
According to Chao News, witnesses reported hearing a loud noise and feeling the entire building tremble.
Employees of nearby shops told Extreme News that they heard a loud bang, followed by a power outage in the shops. They immediately evacuated all staff and customers as the fire intensified.
One employee stated that their shop was only two stores away from the most severely affected shop, and when they evacuated, the fire was close to reaching their shop.
At noon on the same day, the Emergency Management Bureau of LiXia District reported that the fire broke out around 10:55 am on the 29th, and as of now, the fire has been extinguished. Five people sustained minor injuries and were sent to the hospital for treatment, while one person is missing. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Prior to this incident, on May 27 around 11:57 pm, an explosion occurred at the Youdao Chemical Co., Ltd. in Gaomi City, Weifang, Shandong. According to official reports, as of 7:25 pm on that day, the accident resulted in the death of 5 people, 6 missing, and 19 injured.
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