Fire sparks ebike concerns

Freak accident: The fire, at a residential building in Nanjing city, Jiangsu province, is believed to have been caused by ebikes parked on the ground floor. — AFP

THE municipal authorities in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province, have begun a citywide check of potential fire hazards, especially those related to electric bikes, after a fire in a high-rise residential building killed 15 and injured 44.

The fire early last Friday was put out at 6am local time the same day, about one-and-a-half hours after it broke out. Search-and-rescue work was concluded at 2pm that day. The fire is believed to have been caused by ebikes parked on the ground floor.