2024-03-14 01:22:40
An explosion, presumed to be a gas explosion, occurred in a commercial building in Yanjiao, Shanhe City, Hebei Province, killing 7 people and injuring 27 others. (Photo taken from Weibo)
Controversy is spreading following Chinese state-run media was blocked from covering an explosion believed to be a gas explosion in Hebei Province, near Beijing, China. In the end, the authorities reprimanded the officials who blocked the coverage and issued an official apology.
According to China’s Xinhua News Agency on the 14th, at around 7:55 a.m. the previous day, an explosion, presumed to be a gas explosion, occurred in a restaurant on the first floor of a commercial building in Yanjiao, Shanhe City, Hebei Province, killing 7 people and injuring 27 people.
Immediately following the accident occurred, local Chinese media, including state-run CCTV, dispatched reporters to the scene and reported related news. During this process, local media, including CCTV, were blocked from covering the scene, causing controversy.
In the video that spread through social media, a CCTV reporter was reporting live from the scene of an explosion, and when he introduced the local traffic situation, two men dressed in black appeared, blocked the camera lens, and interrupted the reporter’s live interview.
Accordingly, the Chinese Journalists Association issued an unusual statement, saying, “We hope that people will know more regarding major public safety accidents, and reporters will record the actual situation of the disaster and rescue progress to respond to the public’s concerns as much as possible and prevent the spread of rumors.” “It can be prevented,” he said.
He also said, “A single press release cannot replace on-the-spot reporting,” and “When a major unexpected incident occurs, the government must provide convenience for reporters to report in addition to conducting full-scale search and rescue operations and control public reaction.” “Reporters should not be prevented from carrying out their normal duties for this reason,” he said.
(Captured from Weibo)
As negative public opinion regarding the control of reporting spread, the Yanjiao Explosion Command in Shanhe City announced, “We recognize that ensuring fair coverage satisfies the public’s right to know, and we apologize to CCTV and other media reporters.” did.
The command said, “The rescue team recommended that nearby residents and people other than rescue workers evacuate to prevent damage from the second explosion. In the process, the staff maintaining order at the scene forcibly pulled the reporter from the scene.” .
The command added, “We reprimanded the officials and apologized to the reporters for causing misunderstandings among reporters and public suspicion through poor communication skills and rough behavior, which had a negative social impact.”
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