School safety overhaul after fatal stampede
- Source: Global Times
- [01:53 December 10 2009]
- Comments
The parent of a 14-year-old student killed Monday in the Xiangxiang school stampede cries with grief Tuesday in a local hospital. Photo: CFP
The local government in Hunan Province plans to launch a 10-day safety overhaul at schools and kindergartens starting today in light of a stampede Monday that killed eight students and injured 26.
As of Wednesday, 31 students from the privately-run Yucai High School in Xiangxiang, were still in hospitals, including the 26 injured.
Another five were under medical observation.
The local government has yet to reach compensation deals with the students' families. It promised "the maximum compensation possible" on Tuesday.
Yucai's school building had four exits, but when the evening study session ended at around 9:10 pm Monday, hundreds of students surged toward the one closest to their dormitory building to avoid heavy rain.
They swarmed downstairs on a 1.5-meter-wide staircase when a girl tripped and caused dozens to lose their balance and fall in a 3 to 5-square meters area.
The school, founded in 1997, has 3,626 junior high students, mostly aged 11 to 14.
The campus was closed to the media Wednesday. An announcement from the local public security department was aired, saying outsiders were no longer allowed on campus.
The tragedy has aroused widespread concern over campus safety. Zhang Fangping, head of the Hunan provincial education department, vowed to penalize school officials responsible for similar disasters.
"In case of similar disasters, the principal will be sacked immediately and we'll advise the local government and Party committees to take action against those who are responsible," Zhang said at Wednesday's televised conference with principals of all kindergartens and primary and secondary schools in the province.
He said the province would launch a 10-day safety overhaul at all schools and kindergartens starting today. But he offered no details.
Global Times – Xinhua
