School explosion kills 2, injures 45

By Jiang Jie Source:Global Times Published: 2013-9-9 22:43:01

Motorcycles are scattered around the explosion site near Balijie Primary School in downtown Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sept. 9, 2013. At least one people was killed in the explosion, which happened on Monday morning when a man riding a three-wheeled motorcycle passed the entrance to the school. The motorcycle caught on fire and then exploded with a huge sound, according to witnesses. (Xinhua/Lu Bo'an)


 
A man and a woman were killed in a Monday blast outside a primary school in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which also injured 45 others, 29 of whom were school children. At least 39 have been hospitalized due to injuries.

Preliminary investigations showed that the blast took place at 7:10 am. The suspect rode past the school on a tricycle that caught fire and then exploded, killing the suspect, according to an official with the local government of Lingchuan county in Guilin.

A student surnamed Chen told the Global Times that he felt the whole school building shake and fearing an earthquake, he rushed to the playground, where he claimed to have seen a mushroom cloud.

"When I ran to the school gate, I found many students covered in blood and the hair of some of the girls was burnt," Chen said, pointing out that the time of the explosion matched the time when most students went to school.

An employee surnamed Qian from a hotel on the opposite side of the street said she saw a burnt half body of a person on the ground with broken glass scattered around it.

"You could only imagine the shock. Windows up to the ninth floor of our hotel have been broken. I wonder if the blast was planned because it happened on a Monday morning, when pupils were going to school," Qian said, adding that the scene was still cordoned off and the school has suspended all classes.

The injured are being treated at local hospitals and most of the injuries were from cuts due to the broken glass, the official said.

Local authorities are still investigating, while pledging to tighten security inspections in Guilin as well as management of illegal explosives.

Shu Kexin, a research fellow with the Workshop of Institutional Analysis and Public Policy of the Remin University of China, said that stricter supervision is only a temporary solution to prevent such cases from happening, with the rising number of people bearing grudges against society.

"Rich people must shoulder their social responsibilities and care for the less-privileged groups. Once they are given enough attention, their unbalanced mood will be adjusted," Shu said, adding that the government is also obliged to protect those suffering from poverty.

"Social stability is closely connected with the deeds of the social elites, who must contribute to their neighborhood and show some tolerance to the seemingly vexatious actions of the poor. People should not stoke discontent among this group of people as they are also the victims," Shu noted.



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