On January 18th, a sudden large fire broke out during a performance at Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden in Kaifeng, Henan Province. The fire engulfed one side of the city wall, sending thick smoke billowing into the air. Initially, the audience thought it was part of the show’s special effects, but when they realized it was a real fire, they started to evacuate.
According to reports from mainland media, on the afternoon of the 18th, during the performance of “Tokyo Defense Battle” at Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden, a fire broke out on the right side of a city wall during the cannon fire exchange segment.
Initially, the fire was not significant, but due to the dry weather, it quickly spread, gradually expanding the burning area.
Videos and images from the scene show the fire rapidly spreading on one side of the city wall, with thick smoke billowing. Witnesses stated that they initially thought it was part of the performance, only to realize it was a real fire.
As the fire continued to grow, some people quickly called emergency services. After the fire was extinguished, the scene was chaotic, and the burning area on the city wall was relatively large. The highly flammable decorations outside the framework structure of the city wall contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
Regarding the cause of the fire, reports from media outlets indicated that eyewitnesses at the scene believed that a mishap occurred during the cannon segment of the performance, causing a deviation in the launch position and hitting flammable objects in the vicinity, leading to the fire.
Initially, many audience members thought it was a special effect of the performance until the thick smoke and growing fire made them realize it was a real emergency, prompting them to evacuate.
Some netizens commented, “What was supposed to be a staged attack in the performance turned into a real-life drama. So much for make-believe.”
Others sarcastically remarked, “Paying 120 yuan for a ticket and getting a bonus fire show. What an unexpectedly lucky turn of events.”
Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden is a large park themed around the “Along the River During the Qingming Festival” painting, attracting many visitors who enjoy its performances daily.