Chinese boy starts fire in lift, reignites social media debate on what to do about unruly children
Footage from surveillance camera shows young arsonist setting a poster alight inside lift cabin before fleeing the scene
Images of a young boy setting fire to a poster in a lift in northern China have rekindled a heated social media debate as to what should be done to counter a perceived spike in unruly behaviour involving the nation’s youth.
The latest incident happened in a block of flats in Handan, Hebei province, on May 7, state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday in a report that included footage from a surveillance camera of the young arsonist’s antics.
The film shows the boy entering the lift shortly before 10pm and attempting to set light to a poster on the wall of the cabin. His efforts initially appear to have failed, and the child exits the lift at the 29th floor.
However, the next section of the footage shows a man entering the lift just minutes later by which time the cabin is full of smoke. Instead of fleeing the scene, the man attempts to stamp out the blaze.