Juliet Ye posted a summary of online reactions to the CCTV building fire on the Wall Street Journal blog: Live on the Net: Beijing’s Big Fire.
The post quotes SOHO Group real estate mogul, blogger and tireless self-promoter Pan Shiyi:
“It’s a big lesson, and a great loss. We shouldn’t set off fireworks in big cities like Beijing any more.” Mr. Pan wrote.
This is a predictable and sadly common reaction to the fire. But Mr Pan is wrong: We should set off fireworks in Beijing.
Ushering in the Chinese new year with a bang is an ancient Chinese tradition. Beijingers love it. Spring Festival just doesn’t feel the same if the city does not sound like a war zone. The two week orgy of explosions is the single best way for the citizens of Beijing to release the pent up frustrations, annoyances and hassles of a year life in the capital.
The CCTV fire was started by “Class A” (i.e. industrial strength) fireworks let off at the CCTV site by CCTV themselves, against advice from the police. The blame lies with the Class A idiot who decided to use public funds to let off expensive fireworks in an inappropriate location.
Unfortunately if there is a decision to stop citizens of Beijing letting off fireworks, it will be taken by an elite group of people in the Beijing government, A Class people like CCTV leaders and Pan Shiyi who have many more ways to release their stress than the poor sods letting off B, C and D class fireworks in the streets.
- China Daily: Official: CCTV itself responsible for Monday’s massive fire
- Imagethief: Adventures in pyromania
- Sun Bin: CCTV on Fire (includes info on China’s fireworks classification system)
- Black and White Cat: The Big Boot burns – now you see it, now you don’t
- ESWN: A Photo Play Of The CCTV Fire