Under the scorching heat in Shandong in recent days, a grandfather working as a dormitory caretaker at Qingdao University passed away due to heatstroke on the morning of July 6th as the school did not have air conditioning installed. The news of his passing was initially suppressed, but many students and netizens online began sharing the details, seeking justice for the grandfather and revealing that the school had owed him several months’ worth of wages.
According to a student at Qingdao University who posted on social media, “The security guard grandfather at Building 10 of Yingyuan at Qingdao University collapsed in his room due to heatstroke this morning (July 6th) and had already lost consciousness by the time 120 emergency services arrived. The trending topic about this incident on the school’s campus wall was taken down within an hour. Qingdao University has owed him his salary for 8 months, and despite his frugal lifestyle, he always made sure to buy food for the cats he adopted, even setting up three small fans for them.”
The Epoch Times reporter also confirmed the grandfather’s passing with several students from the university. One student described the grandfather as a universally recognized kind-hearted person among the students. When students were feeling down, they could relieve stress and emotions by petting the cats he cared for.
Another student told the reporter, “The grandfather’s room was very small with poor ventilation. With the morning temperature already reaching 37-38 degrees Celsius, our student dormitories did not have air conditioning, making it unbearable. Even sleeping at night felt like it could lead to heat-related fatalities. This grandfather took in many stray cats and prepared three small fans for them.”
A student who had been comforted by the cats also shared, “I often visited the cats in his room when I returned to the dorm. I keep watching the videos I took before and can’t help but cry. We students may endure not having air conditioning or fans, but seeing the school leaders comfortably chilling in air-conditioned offices while the gatekeeper grandfather died from heat is unacceptable.”
The student also confirmed, “When conversing with others, the grandfather mentioned that the school hadn’t paid him his wages for 8 months, and when one of the cats fell ill, he couldn’t afford to take it to the vet.”
Expressing frustration, the student said, “If you can withhold our scholarships and aid, we may stay quiet, but why deny the grandfather his wages? How can a renowned university lack such basic compassion? Stop boasting about your graduation ceremonies and take a look at the school’s lower-level staff.”
On the afternoon of July 6th, a post by a Shandong netizen named “Xiaoyu” regarding the grandfather’s heatstroke death garnered over 220,000 likes within hours, attracting more than 7,580 comments. Xiaoyu emphasized, “Justice should not be delayed. This incident should not be swept under the rug.”
Many acquaintances of the grandfather also praised his kindness in the comments section and questioned the school, asking if good people are easy targets for mistreatment. Some students shared photos of the grandfather, expressing sadness that such a kind-looking person had passed away in such a manner.
One student revealed, “The grandfather had financial difficulties; most of his clothes were picked up from things students had left behind. A few days ago, as he was cleaning the dorms, he found a winter coat and a pair of shoes and was ecstatic, saying he would save them for the winter.”
Another informant disclosed the apparent misuse of funds at the school, hinting at discrepancies in budget allocations without considering the welfare of students and staff. Anger and discontent were palpable among the student body towards the school administration.
Despite attempts to downplay the incident, many netizens actively shared the news of the grandfather’s tragic death due to heatstroke, leading to widespread dissemination of the story across social media platforms and among personal networks.
Late that night, a statement released by the school circulated online, explaining, “Around 7:30 on July 6th, a property staff member at our Fushan campus was discovered in the duty room under unusual circumstances. The school immediately called 120 for emergency medical services and notified the authorities. Efforts to resuscitate the staff member were unsuccessful.”
The statement made no direct mention of heatstroke but vaguely referenced ongoing investigations by law enforcement, ruling out criminal activity for the time being and promising further inquiries to determine the exact cause of death. A special team was formed to assist with investigations and provide support to the family and address post-incident concerns.
Coincidentally, the same day the grandfather passed away, at Yantai Nanshan College’s Donghai campus, students also struggled with the heat as there was no air conditioning installed in their dormitories, resulting in some students fainting and requiring ambulance transport.
The news of the gatekeeper grandfather’s heat-induced death at Qingdao University sparked criticism from students at various other universities in mainland China. A student from Henan University remarked, “Universities don’t treat students as human beings. Just a couple of days ago, our school experienced a power outage without air conditioning in the dorms and classrooms, rendering it impossible to attend classes. Amid the power outage and scorching 39-40 degree heat, I spent three days sitting in outside bubble tea shops.”
The student continued, revealing the stark disparity in treatment, “When I visited the administrative building, the AC was blasting, and an administrator casually asked me if I hadn’t received a call yet. The administrative building has ten floors with over ten offices on each floor. Our teaching building has 18 large classrooms across four floors, each with two to three AC units, yet the teachers enjoy comfortable temperatures while students nearly suffocate.”
Voicing similar sentiments, a student from Hebei criticized the lack of regard for students’ well-being, questioning the integrity of universities’ administrative decisions that prioritize financial gains over the welfare of students.
Expressions of dissatisfaction and anger resounded across various regions, with netizens and students from different provinces highlighting systemic issues within universities, revealing a pervasive lack of empathy and accountability towards student populations and staff. The ongoing heatwave in China, with temperatures exceeding 35℃ and some areas reaching over 40℃, compounded by historical intensity according to meteorological reports.
Comparisons drawn by Shandong residents highlighted the intensified heat stress this year, with a local mentioning how even at the riverbank, traditionally a cooler area, nighttime temperatures felt uncomfortably warm. The unrelenting heatwave has caused unexpected consequences like sun-Dried chili peppers turning white due to extreme temperatures.
Apart from Shandong, the Henan Meteorological Observatory issued a red alert for high temperatures in Shangqiu City on July 4th with temperatures exceeding 40℃. In Wuhan, temperatures surged past 40℃ since the beginning of the summer solstice, marking the hottest conditions in nearly fifty years.