Beijing Sidewalk Collapses Into Scalding Water, Killing Woman

A Beijing woman was pronounced dead late Monday night one week after falling through a sidewalk into a pit of scalding hot water while walking to work. Despite doctors’ best efforts, the woman succumbed to organ failure and related injuries after 99% of her body was severely burned.

Mid-afternoon on April 1st, the woman, surnamed Yang, was walking to work with her colleague on North LiShi road in Beijing when the sidewalk suddenly collapsed, sending Yang toppling into a pit of boiling water. Ms. Yang’s body was almost entirely submerged in scalding water before she was pulled free and rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite Yang briefly regaining consciousness in the hospital — enough to recognize and nod toward her family — the hospital confirmed her passing at 11pm on Monday night.

The source of the water was ultimately traced to a leaking hot water pipe connected to the nearby Wuhua Mansion. When the accident first occurred, the Mansion’s real estate development company, Wanhua Estate, offered up 320,000 RMB for Yang’s hospital treatment.

Beijing District Heating Group told media they had sent out Repair Notices to Wanhua Estate warning them of the water leak, but had received no response. Currently, neither Wanhua Estate nor Wuhua Mansion has made a statement regarding Ms. Yang’s death, and it remains to be seen how or whether either will receive any punishment.

Video from Sina News:

Comments from NetEase:

0快乐无罪0 [网易加拿大网友]：

Dying is better than living, rest in peace!

小猪打怪兽 [网易广东省江门市网友]：

Life’s great tragedy, dying for no good reason.

网易陕西省网友:

To survive would also be suffering.

网易北京市网友:

Such a coincidence, just a week before Yang’s accident, in Dalian a 20-year-old girl fell into a heating vent walking to work one morning. The heating vent had no cover, and she was immediately burned to death, boiled alive in 130 degree water.

chen777999 [网易河北省保定市网友]：

What a misfortune!

网易北美地区网友:

A sudden and unexpected disaster, followed by the relevant government departments passing the blame in a farce.

死猫烂狗 [网易新西兰网友]：

In this strange country, one can die just by walking down the street.

网易广东省东莞市手机网友

Poor woman! Detestable real-estate developer! Abominable China! Hope she rests in peace!

网易海南省三亚市手机网友

Rest in peace! Heaven has no pits of boiling water, no gutter oil, no tainted milk…

Source: NetEase, Sina News