On February 2, 2026, the Fengtai District People’s Court in Beijing publicly announced the verdict in the major liability accident case involving defendant Wang Wenjie and 18 others. Each defendant was sentenced to prison terms ranging from six years and six months to two years for the crime of causing a major liability accident.
The Fengtai District People’s Court found through trial that at approximately 12:50 PM on April 18, 2023, at the construction site of the Beijing Changfeng Hospital renovation project, the construction unit illegally conducted simultaneous operations of self-leveling floor construction and door frame installation cutting. Flammable and explosive components in the epoxy resin primer volatilized, forming an explosive gas mixture, which ignited upon encountering sparks generated by an angle grinder cutting metal purification panels. The fire ignited nearby combustible materials on-site, and the resulting open flames and high-temperature smoke ignited wooden interior decoration materials inside the building. Some fire compartmentalization failed to function, and fixed firefighting facilities were ineffective, causing the fire to spread and a large amount of smoke to proliferate. Coupled with the failure to effectively organize the evacuation and transfer of patients from higher floors, the incident resulted in 29 deaths, 42 injuries, and significant economic losses.
The Fengtai District People’s Court held that each defendant, during production and operations, violated relevant safety management regulations, thereby causing a major casualty accident with particularly severe circumstances, and all should be punished according to law. Considering the facts, circumstances, harmful consequences of each defendant’s crime, as well as factors such as voluntary surrender, admission of guilt, expression of remorse, and compensation for economic losses, the court rendered the aforementioned judgment accordingly.
Some members of the People’s Congress, members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and relatives of some victims and defendants attended the court session to hear the verdict announcement.
