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Blaze Destroys 44-Story Building in China, Firefighter Killed - Amazing Photos & Videos
By CHI-CHI ZHANG
Associated Press Writer
Update: A 30-year-old firefighter died after suffering respiratory tract injuries fighting the blaze, the AP reported. At least six others were injured.
BEIJING (AP) -- The burning shell of an unfinished, 44-story luxury hotel lit the night sky over downtown Beijing on Monday after being showered with sparks from fireworks set off during China's biggest holiday.
Flames surged up one side of the hotel and sent off huge plumes of black smoke, showering the ground with embers as police held back crowds of onlookers.
AP Photos/Andy Wong
There were no reports of deaths or injuries.
• View: Amazing Photos of Blaze Progession on Wonitata.com
Beijing usually tightly restricts the use of fireworks downtown, but waives the rules each year during the Lunar New Year holiday. Monday was the final day for fireworks, marking the first full moon since the Lunar New Year, and massive barrages exploded in open spaces throughout the city.
The Rem Koolhaas-designed Mandarin Oriental hotel was part of a striking complex that helped transform the capital's skyline for last year's Olympics. It is next to China Central Television's landmark Z-shaped headquarters, a major prestige project for the government. The television headquarters was not burning.
The hotel had been expected to be one of Beijing's most luxurious when it opened this year.
It caught fire sometime before 9 p.m. as the skies were filled with fireworks.
One onlooker, Li Jian, said he saw smoke rise from the hotel's roof shortly after a huge burst of fireworks showered it with sparks, though it was not clear if the sparks started the fire.
"Smoke came out for a little while, but then it just started burning," Li said.
People answering the phone at the Beijing fire department said they were unable to release any details.
At least seven fire crews were on the scene, and police closed a nearby elevated highway to ensure safety.
Crews had largely extinguished the larger flames about three hours after the fire began, although hot spots continued to flicker.
The hotel and the television tower were designed by Netherlands architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren for the firm OMA. Both were nearing the end of construction.
The fire destroyed years of hard work, said Erik Amir, a senior architect at OMA, who rushed to the site.
"I think it's really sad that this building is destroyed before it can be opened to the public," he said.
Watch Before the Fire: The Fireworks Display (At the very end of the video they zoom in and you can see a small plume of fire and smoke on the roof)
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Associated Press Writer
Update: A 30-year-old firefighter died after suffering respiratory tract injuries fighting the blaze, the AP reported. At least six others were injured.
BEIJING (AP) -- The burning shell of an unfinished, 44-story luxury hotel lit the night sky over downtown Beijing on Monday after being showered with sparks from fireworks set off during China's biggest holiday.
Flames surged up one side of the hotel and sent off huge plumes of black smoke, showering the ground with embers as police held back crowds of onlookers.
AP Photos/Andy Wong
There were no reports of deaths or injuries.
• View: Amazing Photos of Blaze Progession on Wonitata.com
Beijing usually tightly restricts the use of fireworks downtown, but waives the rules each year during the Lunar New Year holiday. Monday was the final day for fireworks, marking the first full moon since the Lunar New Year, and massive barrages exploded in open spaces throughout the city.
The Rem Koolhaas-designed Mandarin Oriental hotel was part of a striking complex that helped transform the capital's skyline for last year's Olympics. It is next to China Central Television's landmark Z-shaped headquarters, a major prestige project for the government. The television headquarters was not burning.
The hotel had been expected to be one of Beijing's most luxurious when it opened this year.
It caught fire sometime before 9 p.m. as the skies were filled with fireworks.
One onlooker, Li Jian, said he saw smoke rise from the hotel's roof shortly after a huge burst of fireworks showered it with sparks, though it was not clear if the sparks started the fire.
"Smoke came out for a little while, but then it just started burning," Li said.
People answering the phone at the Beijing fire department said they were unable to release any details.
At least seven fire crews were on the scene, and police closed a nearby elevated highway to ensure safety.
Crews had largely extinguished the larger flames about three hours after the fire began, although hot spots continued to flicker.
The hotel and the television tower were designed by Netherlands architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren for the firm OMA. Both were nearing the end of construction.
The fire destroyed years of hard work, said Erik Amir, a senior architect at OMA, who rushed to the site.
"I think it's really sad that this building is destroyed before it can be opened to the public," he said.
Watch Before the Fire: The Fireworks Display (At the very end of the video they zoom in and you can see a small plume of fire and smoke on the roof)
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Doug on
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Hmm, I just posted this not too long ago. I thought it was a 31 story building. Anyway, it's unreal.....
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Permalink Reply by Robert Priebe on
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how in the world do you handle something that big? i cant even begin think of where to start.
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Permalink Reply by darrell rollins on
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thats sucks
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Permalink Reply by Jim Madison on
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Looks like one heck of a grand finale for the show. Looks to me like it was burning for a while before it was noticed. I’m no hi rise expert but I’d say the fire on the roof was the fire venting.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Harris on
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thats CRAZY....
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Permalink Reply by dwn164 on
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Call in multiple air drops I suppose to handle it maybe. Can you say OOPs.
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Click link for rest of article
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixHQOJcesVF9s3Pnq...
By CHI-CHI ZHANG – 1 hour ago
BEIJING (AP) — One fireman was killed fighting a blaze that destroyed a 44-story luxury hotel being constructed as part of Beijing's frenetic Olympic makeover and next door to a landmark television headquarters in downtown Beijing, state media reported Tuesday.
The fire, which sent off huge plumes of black smoke and showered the ground with embers, was put out early Tuesday, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The blaze appeared to have started just after the building was showered with sparks from fireworks set off during Lunar New Year celebrations, Xinhua said.
A handful of other firefighters were injured along with a worker for China Central Television, it said.
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