Recent days, in Qin County, Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, a 57-year-old man named Zhang was killed after crashing into a heating pipe lying across the road in the evening. The pipe was only 1.35 meters above the ground, sparking public attention.
According to Mr. Zhang’s son, on the evening of November 9th around 6 p.m., his father passed by the pipe without noticing it placed across the road, crashed into it, and fell. Initially, he thought it was not a serious injury. However, he began experiencing symptoms such as headaches, neck pain, and nausea. He went to the local hospital, where he remained conscious during the first CT scan. However, after the scan, he started to lose consciousness and vomit. Doctors suspected a brain hemorrhage and conducted a second CT scan which did not show any bleeding in the brain. He was then transferred to Changzhi City Hospital, but unfortunately passed away on the way due to a fractured cervical vertebra.
The hospital examination report presented by Mr. Zhang showed fractures on the left side arch plate of the fifth cervical vertebra and the left upper joint of the sixth cervical vertebra. The report also indicated degenerative changes in the cervical vertebrae and herniation of the disc between the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae.
Mr. Zhang mentioned that the heating pipe was only 1.35 meters above the ground, without any reflective warning signs attached to it, and the community road had no street lights.
In response, the responsible person from Nanguan Community in Qin County mentioned that the warning sign “was hanging on the pipe.” The government of Dingchang Town in Qin County stated that the distance from the bottom of the pipe to the open drainage ditch was 3.5 meters. In April 2024, the local area had covered the open drainage ditch with a box culvert. After the renovation, the area was not designated for road use, and warning signs were placed on both the northern and southern sides of the pipe.
However, Mr. Zhang stated that the blue sign prohibiting passage and red writing were only put up the day after the incident, after “we went to collect evidence.” Mr. Wang, the nephew of the deceased, also mentioned that he went to the scene on the morning of the second day of the incident at around 6 a.m. and could still see bloodstains and tire tracks from the bicycle but no warning signs were present, according to his recorded video footage of the scene.
On November 25th, when journalists called the heating company, the person in charge mentioned that they were in discussions with the deceased’s family and planned to compensate the family, as well as intending to address the problematic pipe next year. When asked about the absence of warning signs beside the pipe, the person in charge stated, “That is not within our responsibility.”
The incident has stirred up discussions online, with many netizens expressing their views. Some condemned the placement of the pipe in the middle of the road, calling it a hazardous idea that could easily lead to accidents. Others questioned the delay in rectification measures such as changing the structure of the pipe or adding warning signs, highlighting the need for responsibility and accountability from relevant authorities.
As debates continue, the unfortunate event serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety measures and thorough planning to prevent such tragedies from occurring again in the future.