China News Service, Shijiazhuang, February 19th. Zhengding County, Hebei Province, related agency’s latest report, preliminary investigation indicate that fireworks landing on the gate was the cause of the Zhengding South Gate fire. This fire disaster cost nearly 1 million RMB, with no death or injuries reported.
The night of February 18th at 8:19pm, a fire occurred at the Zhengding South Gate completed in 2001, the fire department immediately arrived at the scene and fully engaged the fire. The fire was completely put out by 12 am that same night. This fire disaster covered an area of 400 square meters, composed of a two story wooden tower, at a loss of nearly 1 million yuan.
This China News Service reporter rushed to the scene on the same night and saw about 16-17 fire trucks participating in fighting the fire, with the fire causing the South Gate’s two story wooden structure modeled after old city gates to fall apart.
The old city of Zhengding has over 1600 years of history. Earthwork began in the Eastern Jin period, stonework in the Northern Zhou period, expanded during the Tang Dynasty into an earth-mounded city, further expanded during the Ming dynasty into a 24 li (1/2km) brick city. Today’s remaining Zhengding city walls are relics from the Ming Dynasty, 8106 meters of the city wall remains. Zhengding city’s most magnificent four gates, The Yingxu East Gate, Later changed to Huancui, The Changle South Gate, The Zhenyuan West Gate, and the Yongan North Gate. Over years of corrosion, the west and north gate already lost its former glory, the east gate was lost through construction. Today’s South Gate with 50 meters of city walls along each side was result of Zhengding County officials appealing to the people to donate old city bricks, while investing 3.99 million RMB for its reconstruction in 2001.
Source: Chinasmack /Hebei.com.cn