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China Tiananmen Square car blaze kills five people | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Chinese state media have said at least five people died and 38 others were injured after a vehicle crashed in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. | |
Three of those killed were inside the car and the other two were bystanders. | |
The square was evacuated and quickly reopened after the vehicle went into the crowd in front of the Tiananmen rostrum at midday. | |
Images posted online showed a vehicle in flames, amid barricades. There has been no explanation for the crash. | |
Other pictures on social media showed a column of smoke rising from the scene of the crash. | Other pictures on social media showed a column of smoke rising from the scene of the crash. |
Three people inside the vehicle died, Beijing police said on its official microblog account, adding that one female tourist from the Philippines and a male tourist from Guangdong province had also died. | |
Senior leaders from both the central government and the local authorities in Beijing and the Ministry of Public Security have visited the scene, it said. | |
An investigation is under way and the injured have been taken to hospital, Beijing police said. | |
Tiananmen Square was the scene of the 1989 pro-democracy protests which were ended by a military crackdown. | Tiananmen Square was the scene of the 1989 pro-democracy protests which were ended by a military crackdown. |
The site is generally kept under very tight security both because of its proximity to key political institutions and so that is does not serve as a hub for protesters and petitioners. | The site is generally kept under very tight security both because of its proximity to key political institutions and so that is does not serve as a hub for protesters and petitioners. |
Incidents do occur, nonetheless. In 2011, a man set himself on fire at Tiananmen Square following what officials said was a legal dispute, close to the square's portrait of Chairman Mao. | Incidents do occur, nonetheless. In 2011, a man set himself on fire at Tiananmen Square following what officials said was a legal dispute, close to the square's portrait of Chairman Mao. |
Two years before that, three people set themselves on fire in a car at a busy intersection near Tiananmen Square over what the authorities called personal grievances. | Two years before that, three people set themselves on fire in a car at a busy intersection near Tiananmen Square over what the authorities called personal grievances. |
In 2000, several members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement were arrested for protesting at the square. | In 2000, several members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement were arrested for protesting at the square. |
Fire extinguishers are kept at the site, and have been used when protesters set themselves on fire. | |
'Bursting into flames' | 'Bursting into flames' |
Monday's incident took place at the north end of Tiananmen Square, near an entrance to the Forbidden City. | |
"A driver and two passengers were killed after a jeep crashed into a crowd of people and caught fire," Xinhua news agency said. | "A driver and two passengers were killed after a jeep crashed into a crowd of people and caught fire," Xinhua news agency said. |
Citing police and emergency officials, it said police officers were among those injured by the jeep, "which crashed into a guardrail of Jinshui Bridge on the moat of the Forbidden City before bursting into flames at 12:05 pm". | |
One unnamed eyewitness told AFP news agency: "I saw a car turn a bend and suddenly it was driving on the pavement, it happened fast but looked like it knocked people over." | One unnamed eyewitness told AFP news agency: "I saw a car turn a bend and suddenly it was driving on the pavement, it happened fast but looked like it knocked people over." |
"I heard an explosion and saw fire. The scene was very frightening," he added. "There were paramilitary police who told people to get back into their cars and stop taking pictures." | "I heard an explosion and saw fire. The scene was very frightening," he added. "There were paramilitary police who told people to get back into their cars and stop taking pictures." |
In a microblog post on its verified Sina Weibo account, the Beijing police said that "the injured people were all sent to a nearby hospital". | |
"Police at the site immediately launched rescue efforts, and the fire was quickly extinguished... the situation is currently being investigated further," the police added. | "Police at the site immediately launched rescue efforts, and the fire was quickly extinguished... the situation is currently being investigated further," the police added. |
A subway station close to the square was temporarily closed at the request of police, Beijing transport authorities said. Police also closed the road near the crash. | A subway station close to the square was temporarily closed at the request of police, Beijing transport authorities said. Police also closed the road near the crash. |
News of the incident first appeared on social media from those who were at the scene, but it appeared that some pictures were being quickly removed. | News of the incident first appeared on social media from those who were at the scene, but it appeared that some pictures were being quickly removed. |
A BBC team that went to the site to gather footage said that they were detained for around 20 minutes before being released. | A BBC team that went to the site to gather footage said that they were detained for around 20 minutes before being released. |
AFP news agency said that two of its reporters were also held close to the square, with images deleted from their cameras. | AFP news agency said that two of its reporters were also held close to the square, with images deleted from their cameras. |
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, when asked whether the government believed the incident was a terror attack, said that she did not know the specifics of the case and declined further comment. |