Three senior citizens hospitalized after blaze in residential home

• Source: Global Times
• [08:25 August 03 2010]
• Comments

By Zhang Cao

Three senior citizens were injured in a fire at a home for the elderly on Changzhong Road in Zhabei district at 11:30 am Monday.

The fire broke out in a room on the second floor of the three-floor Haosida Old Age Home. Chen Yun, a nurse at the home, told the Global Times that she rushed into the room when she heard the bell that residents use to call for assistance ringing to find the whole room was filled with smoke.

"None of the three old women living in the room are able to move by themselves, so they could only cry and ring the bell," Chen said. "The door was closed because the air conditioner was running, so we didn't hear their crying at first."

Chen said that when she went into the room she found one woman being burned by the flames, which had caught on a curtain. Chen helped all three women escape.

The fire was extinguished by five fire trucks that arrived on the scene. The three women were sent to Changhai Hospital in Yangpu district.

The most seriously injured of the women, aged 87, suffered burns to more than 40 percent of her body, and has been isolated in an aseptic room.

Another woman, 84, received burns to 10 percent of her body, while the third wom-an injured her head.

Yi Luping, the director of the home, told the Global Times Monday that the fire was caused by old electrical wiring. She refused to give more details and said further investigation of the incident will be carried out by the police.

The 87 year old woman's son, surnamed Xie, told the Global Times that the home had paid all the medical fees. "But they said they will discuss whether they will pay any compensation later," Xie said.