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Fran Lu

The promising life of a 22-year-old man in China has been forcibly put on hold after his roommate’s electric bike battery exploded causing him severe burns.
To make matters worse, the roommate fled as the incident unfolded, shut the door behind him, compounding Du Junhao’s dangerous predicament.
Du was a third-year student at Wuhan City College, in central China’s Hubei province, when the devastating accident happened last summer.
He was looking forward to opening his own furniture installation business after graduation.

But his hopes were dashed by his schoolmate Li Jiajun, with whom he rented a flat last summer to work at part-time jobs.
Li rented an electric bike for 300 yuan (US$40) a month to work as a delivery driver. He insisted on charging its battery at home despite Du telling him several times it was dangerous.
One day, at 6am, the battery caught fire and emitted toxic gas. Li, who was sleeping closer to the main door of the flat, ran out in time.
Surveillance footage from the hallway shows him running towards the fire extinguishers, before returning to shut the door with Du still inside.
Du said that Li’s behaviour caused the door to lock automatically, and the battery blazed away while he tried to open it. He was locked behind the door for half a minute.

Du suffered burns to 90 per cent of his body and damage to his respiratory tract. He was in a critical condition for some time.
Two fingers on his left hand had to be amputated as a result of his injuries.
Du remained silent until his 22nd birthday in April. He said he would never forgive Li.
“My parents had to borrow money everywhere to save me, and they suffered from the pain of donating me their skin,” said Du.
He has endured 12 skin graft operations in the past 10 months. His father has undergone five rounds of surgery to provide skin.
Du’s family has spent 2.8 million yuan (US$380,000) on his treatment, plus other daily expenses.
They have received donations totalling 2.6 million yuan from the online community, but Du senior said they cannot keep asking for money.
The family has taken Li, the landlord and the electric bike’s battery maker to the court, but to little avail.
Li’s family has only compensated Du with 10,000 yuan (US$1,400), insisting that they were too poor to give more.
Li was detained for the crime of negligence causing serious injury. According to Chinese law, this offence carries a maximum of three years in prison.

Du said he thought of giving up on his life, but changed his mind after seeing his parents’ sacrifice.
“My life is not just mine,” he said.
Du is receiving treatment at a Chinese scar repair centre. He recently began keeping a pet dog to cheer himself up.
He hoped his skin could recover as soon as possible and dreams of using his laptop again. He also hopes to have graduation photos taken at his college this spring.
His parents’ wish is simpler.
“As long as he can live, we will look after him,” Du senior said.


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Du, pictured before the fire, hopes he can get his life back on track despite the trauma he has endured. Photo: 163.com

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Flatmate insists on charging electric bicycle battery inside home, flees after explosion exposing friend to flames which cause extensive skin damage


Flatmate insists on charging electric bicycle battery inside home, flees after explosion exposing friend to flames which cause extensive skin damage.


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Chinese man suffers 90% burns in battery blast, injuries worsen as flatmate flees, shuts door

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Flatmate insists on charging electric bicycle battery inside home, flees after explosion exposing friend to flames which cause extensive skin damage

Flatmate insists on charging electric bicycle battery inside home, flees after explosion exposing friend to flames which cause extensive skin damage