The Qingming Festival is one of the most important traditional holidays in many Asian countries. It is a time for descendants to honor their ancestors and perform spiritual rituals such as tomb sweeping, offering incense, and burning joss paper. However, if not done carefully, these customs can have serious consequences.
Recently, a devastating fire occurred in Beijing, China, which was sparked by the burning of joss paper by locals.
Specifically, on the afternoon of March 30th, a 44-year-old woman, Ms. Zhang, accidentally started a fire while burning joss paper, which spread and destroyed nine parked cars. Images and videos from the scene showed cars engulfed in flames and black smoke billowing, creating a haunting spectacle.
After receiving the report, the Chaoyang District Fire Department promptly arrived at the scene and successfully contained the fire, preventing it from spreading further. Although there were no casualties, the aftermath was severe, with seven cars completely burned and two others badly damaged.
Ms. Zhang admitted that during the full moon and the first day of each month, she would come to this area to burn joss paper, praying for peace. According to her statement, she had performed this ritual about 7-8 times before without any issues. However, on March 30th, to speed up the process, she used a wooden stick to separate the joss paper into smaller piles and lit them, unaware of the dry weeds nearby. After finishing, she left without ensuring that the fire was completely extinguished, which led to the fire breaking out shortly after.
Ms. Zhang has been detained for investigation into her role in causing the fire. According to Chinese criminal law, negligent fire-starting that results in losses exceeding 500,000 CNY (approximately 1.7 billion VND) can be prosecuted with a prison sentence ranging from three to seven years, depending on the severity. Given the extent of the damage, the financial losses in this incident are considerable.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the fire hazards associated with traditional spiritual practices. To prevent such unfortunate incidents, individuals must raise their fire safety awareness, choose safe locations for burning joss paper away from flammable materials, and ensure that all embers are thoroughly extinguished before leaving. Authorities should also strengthen their efforts in educating the public about safety measures, especially during major holidays, to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
TH (Tuoitrethudo)
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