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Xiamen bus fire

On 7 June 2013, a mass murder-suicide attack occurred on a bus in Xiamen, Fujian province, China. A bus operating for the Xiamen BRT caught fire and exploded on an elevated lane near the Jinshan stop; 47 people died and 34 were injured.

Fire

Preliminary investigations conducted by the traffic police indicate that at around 6:22 p.m. CST, a Xiamen BRT bus, license plate 闽D-Y736, carrying 90 passengers, caught fire on an elevated roadway between the Caitang (Chinese: 蔡塘; pinyin: Càitáng) and Jinshan (Chinese: 金山; pinyin: Jīnshān) bus stops. The fire broke out in the rear end of the bus and once it had spread to the fuel tank, the bus exploded. The fire was extinguished at around 6:50 pm CST (10:50 UTC), twenty minutes after the bus caught fire during the evening rush hour. Following the fire, the entire BRT system was temporarily shut down, reopening the following day.

Despite the bus running on diesel, investigators found traces of gasoline in the fire. This, and the fact that the oil tank and tires were intact in the wreckage, led investigators to believe the fire may have been deliberately lit. The Ministry of Public Security stated that the fire is being treated as "a serious criminal case".

Suspect

On 8 June, police identified the suspect as a man named Chen Shuizong (simplified Chinese: 陈水总; traditional Chinese: 陳水總; pinyin: Chén Shuǐzǒng), a local resident born on March 1, 1954. According to a suicide note found in his home, Chen was unhappy with his life and had decided to light the fire to vent his anger. Family members, speaking to reporters and posting in social media, indicated that Chen was quite angry with police officials who refused to correct an error in his identity documents and was denied social security benefits.

Wikipedia.org

Police releases evidence of arsonist in Xiamen bus fire

Xinhua

June 11, 2013

XIAMEN, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Evidence connected with the arsonist who started a fire in a bus in eastern China's Xiamen was released by the information office of the city's municipal government on Monday.

The fire killed 47 people and injured 34 others on June 7.

The office said an investigation launched by experts of the Ministry of Public Security and the provincial Public Security Department found that Chen Shuizong, a native of the city, carried petrol on to the BRT (bus rapid transit) bus on Friday.

Wreckage of a hand trolley and woven bag were found at the scene, and petrol was confirmed as an accelerant, the office said.

An investigation showed Chen bought the petrol from a store in Xiamen on June 5 and left his home with a hand trolley carrying a woven bag at around 4 p.m. on June 7. He then boarded the bus.

Several survivors said Chen started the fire when the bus was traveling from Jinshan station and Caitang station.

An investigation also indicated that two letters for Chen's wife and daughter found by Xiamen police in his house were written by him.

According to DNA tests, Chen died in the blaze.

Petitioner identified as Xiamen bus arsonist

By Liu Dong - GlobalTimes.cn

June 9, 2013

Police said on Saturday that they had identified the man responsible for a fatal bus fire accident which claimed the lives of 47 people on Friday in Xiamen, Fujian Province, the China Central Television (CCTV) reported Saturday.

Police confirmed after investigations that 59-year-old local man Chen Shuizong, who died at the scene, lit the bus on fire. Police also found Chen's will at his home on Saturday morning, CCTV reported.

Police said Chen committed the crime due to a negative attitude and dissatisfaction with his personal life.

Several screenshots of a video circulating on Weibo Saturday, which couldn't be verified as of press time, showed a man who was said to be Chen, dragging a plastic bag and walking on the street.

A Tencent Weibo post under Chen's name appeared Thursday evening complaining that he was not able to receive social security insurance because police made an error when recording his age, then they didn't treat his problem seriously.

"I have been to the police station 56 times but they still haven't solved my problem," Chen wrote.

Chen's claims could not be verified as of press time. Chen Shilong, Chen Shuizong's brother, told the Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily that Chen had attempted petitions in the past, and added that Chen had a bad temper and was often involved in disputes with his neighbors.

The fire occurred at about 6:20 pm on Friday on a BRT (bus rapid transit) bus in Xiamen, killing 47 and leaving 34 hospitalized as of Saturday, with 15 seriously injured.

Xiamen bus fire suspect dies at scene

Xinhuanet.com

June 9, 2013

BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Local authorities have identified 59-year old Chen Shuizong as a suspect responsible for the fire. The man, who left a suicide note in his home, died in the blaze.

47 people were killed and 34 were injured when an express bus burst into flames on an elevated road in the city of Xiamen. After a preliminary investigation, police said the fire had been intentionally lit.

Huang Wenhui, spokesman of Xiamen government, said, "The bus uses diesel, but the cause we found is gasoline, so it is unlikely to be an accident."

The bus caught fire during the evening rush hour, when the city’s rapid transit system is usually jammed with commuters. Pictures taken by witnesses have been posted online, showing heavy smokes and survivors with burns on their arms and legs. The injured people are being treated at 2 local hospitals. 16 are in a critical condition. Many of them have been operated on or are in intensive care.

Jiang Jie, head of First Hospital of Xiamen University, said, "In general, our patients are now in a stable condition. We will treat them with proper plans and great care based on their individual situation."

The elevated road has been sealed since the fire started. Local residents were not allowed to use the service until Saturday morning.

Jinshan Station is about 500 meters from the scene. Bus services resumed at 7 o’clock Saturday morning, about 12 hours after the fire. The tragedy hasn’t stopped people from using it, to get in and out of Xiamen Island.

Although bus services have resumed, it will take a while to finish the investigation.