China: Media - Ten dead in Urumqi residential block fire - COVID-19 restrictions being blamed as hampering evacuations, Xinjiang - November 25, 2022

[sharon sanders]

China Xinjiang: Ten dead in Urumqi residential block fire

• Published
  6 hours ago

Ten people have died in a fire in flats in the city of Urumqi, capital of the western Xinjiang region.

The incident has led to anger online. The city has been under strict Covid restrictions since early August.

State media said the compound had been categorised as low risk for Covid and residents were able to go downstairs.

But a resident told the BBC people were only allowed to leave their homes for short periods each day and the timing was controlled by authorities.

more....

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia...k&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_ptr_name=twitter

 

[sharon sanders]

I see a lot of fighting about this on twitter. Random accounts are denying and calling the BBC "liars. I do not know what to believe but it is proven that China can, and does, employ widespread lockdowns that include locking devices on the doors.

 

[Zeffy]

I saw earlier documented photos of welded-shut doors and compounds in the original Wuhan outbreak but apparently simpler (but no less chilling) methods are also being used:

https://twitter.com/TGTM_Official/status/1596465128811028480?cxt=HHwWgICjsfCk5KcsAAAA

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/...-in-xinjiang-after-covid-19-lockdown-protests

China loosens some restrictions in Xinjiang after COVID-19 lockdown protests
World Nov 26, 2022 11:39 AM EST

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Authorities in China’s western Xinjiang region opened up some neighborhoods in the capital of Urumqi on Saturday after residents held extraordinary late-night demonstrations against the city’s draconian “zero-COVID” lockdown that had lasted more than three months.

The displays of public defiance were fanned by anger over a fire in an apartment compound that had killed 10, according to the official death toll, as emergency workers took three hours to extinguish the blaze — a delay many attributed to obstacles caused by anti-virus measures.

The demonstrations, as well as public anger online, are the latest signs of building frustration with China’s intense approach to controlling COVID-19. It’s the only major country in the world that still is fighting the pandemic through mass testing and lockdowns...

 

[sharon sanders]

Urumqi City will introduce a package of "policy packages" to help enterprises and benefit the people
November 27, 2022 12:01 interface news
0

　　@Xinjiang released Weibo news. On the morning of November 27, the Information Office of the People's Government of Urumqi held a press conference on the prevention and control of the new crown pneumonia epidemic. At the meeting, Sui Rong, member of the Standing Committee of the Urumqi Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda, reported on the further restoration of normal production and living order in society.

　　Sui Rong introduced that we always pay attention to and attach great importance to the relevant issues reported by citizens and friends, and are working hard to study and formulate a package of "policy packages" to help enterprises and people benefit from the rescue, which will be announced and implemented soon. We will study in a timely manner the individualized difficult appeals reported by some citizens and friends, and solve them in strict accordance with relevant policies. You still have new opinions, suggestions, and difficult appeals. You are welcome to register in your community at any time based on the principles of seeking truth from facts and being reasonable and compliant. We will discuss with you and work together to solve them.

zhttps://news.sina.com.cn/c/2022-11-27/doc-imqmmthc6158120.shtml?cre=tianyi&mod=pcpager_china&loc=2&r=0&rfunc=9&tj=cxvertical_pc_pager_spt&tr=174#/