Nanjing: Floor Fire Hydrants Become Decorative, Sparking Concerns Over Aging High-Rise Fire Safety

Nanjing Jinfang Garden in Baixia District, a relatively old high-rise apartment complex constructed in 1996, experienced a fire on March 7th at around 4 PM in a resident's home on the 11th floor of Building 5. The fire was caused by an overheated electric heating pad and was thankfully extinguished in time due to the quick return of the homeowner and timely intervention by the property management, thus preventing significant losses. However, the incident did not bring relief to the property management and some residents, as the community has been lacking in maintenance funds for years, leading to the disrepair and paralysis of the fire protection system. They feel powerless about entrusting life and property safety to mere luck. Meanwhile, the management challenges and safety risks posed by the lack of maintenance funds in high-rise old buildings like Jinfang Garden are even more concerning. Unexpected Emergency in Old High-rise Buildings Fire on the 11th Floor, Smoke on the 28th Floor; Property Management Tries to Extinguish the Blaze with Water Yesterday, a journalist visited Jinfang Garden and still detected a smoky odor upon entering the elevator. The walls and corridors were covered in soot, with four tiles near the fire door burned through, and smoke stains on the wall resembling a dark archway. Wang, the主任 of the property management office, told the journalist that on the afternoon of March 7th, the residents of the 11th floor of Building 5 reported a smoky odor in the corridor. After discovering the smoke, the property management staff identified the source of the fire as Mr. Zhang, a 60-year-old resident, but he was not home at the time. Despite contacting the couple, they could not be reached. However, luck was on their side as Mr. Zhang returned shortly thereafter and promptly opened the door. With the property management staff's help, they navigated through the thick smoke to the living room, where they found the electric heating pad beneath a blanket sparking. Mr. Zhang quickly removed the blanket, and the flames shot up to the ceiling. Just as he moved the blanket, the cushion on the sofa caught fire. Mr. Zhang quickly dragged the blanket and cushion outside the corridor. Some property management staff fetched water from the 10th floor and carried it up to extinguish the fire, while others grabbed fire extinguishers from downstairs and some immediately called the fire department. Other residents in the apartment complex evacuated the building as soon as they heard about the fire. Chen Aunty, a resident on the 15th floor, recalled, "It was everywhere; smoke from the 11th floor to the top floor 28th was thick, visibility was low, and we were scared, running down. Some were debating whether to use the elevator or stairs, the braver ones took the elevator, while others walked down the stairs with their noses covered. When we got downstairs, we all had a thick 'black beard' under our noses." Thanks to timely detection and proper handling, the fire was extinguished before the fire department arrived. Mr. Zhang, the homeowner, recalled that he had left the electric heating pad on the sofa to warm himself while watching TV and forgot to turn it off, leading to the fire. Fire Risk Raises Concerns about Fire Protection What If a Major Fire Breaks Out with a Paralyzed Fire Protection System in the Community? Although the fire was extinguished, the incident left deep shadows on the property management staff and some residents. "Thankfully, the old man returned five minutes earlier, otherwise the whole place would have been engulfed in flames," said the property manager, Wang. Due to the lack of maintenance funds, the fire protection system in the community has been out of order for years. "Even if the fire trucks arrived on time, all the fire hydrants on each floor are broken, and there is no water. How can you extinguish a fire without water? It's a high-rise fire, and if the fire truck can't reach the top floor, or if the water pressure is insufficient, or if the fire is not extinguished and the water runs out, it would be even worse. This time was lucky, but what if the next fire is not as fortunate?" The community was built in 1996 and is rather outdated. "It is very necessary to timely replenish the maintenance fund," said Wang. "The district government, fire department, and street office have been aware of the paralyzed fire protection system in the community for a long time and have negotiated with the property management and the homeowner's association multiple times, but the maintenance fund has never been paid in full." The community is mixed-use, with many units used as office spaces for small companies and others rented out to multiple tenants, increasing the management difficulties for the homeowner's association and property management. "Four fire hydrants in two buildings are broken. We have estimated that it would cost about 300,000 to 400,000 yuan to fix them. There are 448 households in the community, so if we calculate with 400,000, each household would only need to pay about 1,000 yuan." However, due to disagreements among the homeowners, the funds have not been collected yet. The lawyer suggested that homeowners pay the maintenance fund to update the facilities. Public maintenance funds are paid by all homeowners and are used for major repairs and renovations of the building's main structure, public areas, and public facilities after the warranty period. Lawyer Rao Fenbin from Jiangsu Langhua Law Firm said, "There are relevant national laws and regulations regarding the payment and use of maintenance funds. For each community and each homeowner, many homeowners do not fully understand the importance of maintenance funds. In this regard, the property management should also publicize the importance of paying maintenance fees and communicate more with the homeowners." Although the government cannot force homeowners to pay, it has given sufficient attention to these old communities and has helped some communities with prominent safety risks complete renovations within its capabilities. However, lawyer Rao emphasized that the homeowner's association is the main body of community management and should actively coordinate the payment of maintenance funds. Homeowners should not take chances and should prevent potential risks to truly protect their safety and property. For this reason, relevant personnel from the Nanjing Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Committee said that Nanjing only had regulations on maintenance funds after 2000, and the property rights of some houses built before 2000 were more complex. Some were public housing, and the maintenance fund was managed by the housing ownership unit before the reform. If some units did not pay or paid insufficiently, it would affect the normal use of the maintenance fund. It is worth noting that some old communities, including those that still lack maintenance funds after the reform, should raise funds on the spot for repairs and updates of public facilities and fire protection systems. Homeowners who have not paid maintenance funds should make up for the shortfall.