BEIJING (SCMP): After suffering severe burns to more than 90 per cent of his body in a kitchen explosion, a husband in China heroically returned to his burning home to save his wife only to tragically pass away later.
His act of profound love and bravery has deeply moved countless people on mainland social media.
The incident took place on Oct 10 in Luoyang, Henan province, central China, when the man, surnamed Liu, was preparing breakfast with his wife and tried to use the stove.
A trending online video captured the moment that the kitchen was engulfed by a massive fireball from an explosion.
The blast tore off Liu’s clothes and violently propelled him out of the room.
“We never expected the gas to leak. When the explosion occurred, all the kitchen windows and doors were blown out, and my dad was the closest to the fire,” recounted Liu’s son, who had only worked for a year after graduating from university, in an interview with Elephant News.
However, despite suffering burns on 92 per cent of his body, Liu heroically returned to the flaming kitchen to save his wife.
His son revealed that after the accident, Liu was left critically ill in an intensive care unit and fought for his life as his organs began to fail.
He succumbed to his injuries seven days after being admitted to hospital.
“At that time, I did not know what to do. The doctors had administered painkillers. My dad was struggling to breathe, and after the burns, all his internal organs began to fail. He was in a lot of pain,” the son said tearfully.
He also revealed that his still recovering mother had asked about her husband as soon as she regained the ability to write. The first words she wrote were inquiries about her husband’s condition.
“I did not dare to tell my mother that my father had passed away. She asked me to check on him, so I just sat outside for a while and then went back to tell her that he was fine,” he said.
His mother is still receiving treatment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology for burns covering 69 per cent of her body.
After spending 300,000 yuan (US$42,000) in medical expenses, the family, which includes the son and a younger daughter still in school, is now facing significant financial challenges.
Doctors have informed them that an additional 700,000 yuan is still needed.
The son is seeking donations through the media, and many netizens have expressed their willingness to help.
One online observer said: “The uncle’s resilience is admirable. He truly is a man of responsibility.”
“By risking his life to save his wife, this husband is a model of love,” another person added.
“I hope every kind-hearted person can contribute a little to help these two children, and I hope the mother can stay strong and survive. May their family overcome this ordeal,” another said.
In the first half of this year, there were 181 gas accidents in China, a 38.44 per cent decrease compared to the same period last year, according to the China Gas Association.
The incidents resulted in 158 injuries and 27 fatalities.
On Oct 14, in eastern Zhejiang province, despite suffering burns over 60 per cent of her body from a kitchen gas explosion, a mother heroically managed to carry her two-year-old son to safety, touching the hearts of many online. - South China Morning Post
