On October 21, a tragic incident occurred at a construction site in the Zhengxiang District of Hengyang City, Hunan Province, where a primary school student fell into a well and died. According to the family, the well was only covered by paper or thin iron sheets.
A circulating video from the scene showed that the construction site outside the gate of Shengli Primary School in Zhengxiang District was only roughly enclosed by simple barriers and fences, with no strict measures in place.
Reports from Da Wan News revealed that on the afternoon of the 21st, a student fell into the well around 2 p.m. The fire department was alerted and arrived at the scene after 7 p.m. Sadly, the student was retrieved from the well already deceased. The well contained water, and the distance from the well opening to the water surface was approximately 3 meters.
Witnesses stated that a 9-year-old third-grade student from Shengli Primary School in Zhengxiang District fell into an ancient well. The well was deep and usually covered with an iron lid, but due to ongoing dangerous housing renovations, the lid was missing, leaving only a layer of plastic covering the well.
According to a report from Qingdao Broadcasting and Television’s “Current News” program, on the morning of the 22nd, the family of the deceased child disclosed that he was 8 and a half years old, studying in the third grade of primary school. The incident occurred about 30 meters from the school gate, near a site where houses were being demolished, surrounded by barriers but not completely sealed off.
Around 1:40 p.m. on the 21st, the mother dropped off her child at the school gate, where he waited alone for the gate to open. At approximately 1:50 p.m., the child entered the construction site through a gap in the barrier, where a deep well was covered by paper. Unfortunately, the child accidentally stepped on the paper and fell to his death.
The mother revealed that the well was too deep with no stairs to climb out, stating that even an adult would have difficulty getting out if they fell in.
In a report from New Jing News’ “Our Video,” the father of the deceased, Mr. Deng, told reporters on the 22nd that the construction site was not completely sealed off, and his son fell into the well and died while playing with classmates there. The well opening was only covered by a thin piece of iron. Mr. Deng mentioned that they would hold the construction company and the local street office accountable. The involved parties have already provided funeral expenses and partial compensation.
Some members of the public pointed out that there was no site manager present at the scene within the first 12 hours of the incident. On the morning of the 22nd, a banner was hung at the school gate reading, “Who is responsible for the deep well?”
The incident site has been secured, and investigations and follow-up actions are ongoing.
The incident has sparked widespread attention on social media.
Netizens commented that the construction site, located 30 meters from the school, with an uncovered deep well covered by just a thin layer of paper, poses a serious safety hazard to everyone. They also highlighted the responsibility of the school, questioning why the student was left unattended at the school gate before it opened. There were calls for better supervision and safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The improper covering of the well was criticized, as it posed a risk not only to construction workers but also to passersby. The need for proper safety measures, such as securely covering wells to prevent accidents, was emphasized.