【新唐人2012年7月9日訊】天津薊縣萊德商廈發生大火以來，當局嚴格管控當地媒體對火災進行報導，更試圖封殺其他媒體和民眾對火災真相的質疑。當局警告市民，不得談論薊縣大火，否則就會被抓。但更多的真相依然通過網絡微博等，被知情者傳遞出來。最近官方媒體號稱，火災發生時，整個商場裡只有大約50個顧客，再次引來網民噓聲一片。
7月7號，《新華網》天津頻道援引萊德商廈業務副總經理王芳的話說，萊德商廈共有5層，有103個櫃檯、70多家商戶，火災當天商廈裡有營業員和其他經營人員120多人，沒有多少顧客。王芳號稱，她當時在5樓，包括顧客、員工在內不超過20人，而整個商場只有大約50名顧客。
但這一說法遭到外界普遍質疑。在此之前，媒體曾經報導，當天是星期六，萊德商廈正在舉辦大型促銷活動，所以客流量較大，火災時大約有幾百人被圍困在內。
天津市民王先生：「那裏頭肯定人挺多的。只要不是禮拜六、禮拜天，它不促銷的情況下，人不多。那天正好趕上禮拜六，打折扣，人就多。這是薊縣最大的一個商業樓。」
6月30號，天津薊縣萊德商廈發生火災，大火持續數小時，五層商廈被燒燬。天津官方微博7月5號發佈消息說，火災造成10人死亡，16人受傷，死難者的遺體已經被認領。
但這一數字受到廣泛質疑。知情人揭示，死難者遠不止10人，至少有幾十人，也有說，確切死亡數字多達378人，還有網友發佈了一份薊縣大火部分死難者名單。
薊縣宣傳部一位李姓科長對《新唐人》重復了官方的說法，並表示，直到現在沒有發現失蹤人員。當被問及當局嚴控輿論、封殺真相時，李科長則回答：「這些事情，我不清楚。」
深圳學者朱建國指出，在中國「權大於法」，只有官媒自說自話，根本沒有輿論自由。
朱建國：「現在中國官場的傳統那就是報喜不報憂，把成績誇大，把事故掩蓋或者是縮小，這是一個傳統，這是第一個，第二個，現在十八大要召開了，大的頭頭想進入中南海，小的頭頭也想跟著一起陞官，當這上下官僚的利益一致，就可能隱瞞實際死人的數字。」
火災發生後，天津各媒體集體噤聲，其他媒體記者也被禁止進行採訪，最近薊縣更是被全城切斷網絡。知情者透露，薊縣火化場一名工作人員因無意對外披露：「當天拉過來200多具屍體」，而被拘留，薊縣醫院參與搶救的人員也被要求「保密」。死難者家屬則獲得當局的61萬元封口費，家屬如不配合就會被打壓。而普通民眾則被警告：如果談論薊縣大火或者在網上發言，就會被抓。
天津市民趙女士：「你不用跟我了解，我一點事都不知道，不用跟我了解了。我們都開會了，不許提這個事，提這個事就抓走。」
但當局的高壓激起民眾更大的憤怒，7月6號，上萬市民湧上街頭悼念火災死難者、並要求徹查事件真相。同時，更多的真相也逐漸被曝光出來。
《大紀元》新聞網報導，目擊者證實，大火最初是由萊德商廈南側一臺室外空調壓縮機超負荷運轉引起的，薊縣消防隊距離火災現場步行大約10分鐘，但報警之後，大約25分鐘消防車才趕到。消防隊不但沒有雲梯和氣墊，水壓還不夠，白白錯過了30分鐘的最佳救援時間，最後只能看著大火將商廈吞沒。
另一件讓人驚心的事情則是，火災中商廈內大量人員被困，性命攸關，商廈總經理卻擔心丟失商品，而將一樓的商場大門關閉，致使很多人無法逃出。
採訪/易如 編輯/李謙 後製/鍾元
Truth of Tianjin Deadly Mall Fire Gradually Revealed
After a mall fire in Ji county, Tianjin, the authorities
restricted local media’s reporting.
In addition, they attempted to block other media and publics』
questions to the accident.
Local authorities warned citizens that no discussion
was allowed, otherwise they would be arrested.
However, more information about the fire was still circulated
online by insiders.
Originally official media claimed, there were only 50
customers in the mall at that time.
This aroused netizens』 angry reactions.
On July 7th, xinhuanet.com Tianjin channel cited Wang Fang,
deputy manager of the mall saying that
the five-story department store has 103 counters
with 70 retail staff.
There were 120 salespeople and other staff and
only a few customers in the mall when the fire took place.
Wang Fang claimed that she was on the fifth floor,
with no more than 20 people there.
She said there were only about 50 customers in total
in the whole mall at the time.
However, her words were questioned by the public.
Media reported previously that the mall was holding a big
promotion event on that day and many customers were there.
It seems that there were a few hundred people locked inside
mall when the fire broke out.
Tianjin resident Mr. Wang: “Definitely many people were
inside the mall.
If it was not at a weekend without sales promotion,
there wouldn’t be so many people in the mall.
But it was on Saturday with sales on, therefore it attracted
many customers. After all this is the largest mall in Ji County.”
On June 30th, Laide Shopping Center in Ji County, Tianjin
caught fire which lasted a few hours.
The five-story building was burnt down. On July 5th, Tianjin
official micro-blog announced that 10 people died with 16 injured in the accident.
Bodies of the dead were collected by their families.
However, this death toll was questioned by the public.
Insiders revealed that far more than 10 died in the accident,
at least in the hundreds of people killed by the fire.
Some also said that the confirmed death toll was 378.
A partial list of the dead was publicized by some netizens.
Mr. Li, a propaganda manager from Ji County answered NTD
by repeating the same official statements in an interview.
He also claimed that no one was missing.
When he was asked about authorities』 restriction on a truthful
report, he said he was unclear about it.
Shenzhen scholar, Zhu Jianguo pointed out that in China,
power is above the law,
and only state media had a chance to speak for its purpose.
There is no freedom of the media.
Zhu Jianguo: “State media’s rule is to report good news only,
talking big of the achievements and covering up the truth.
This is the first one of the rules. Secondly, the 18th Congress
is approaching.
High level officials are attempting to enter Zhongnanhai.
Their followers also hope to be promoted.
Therefore they will cover up the death toll because they
share the same interests.”
After the fire, media in Tianjin were silenced and journalists
from non-state media were banned from interviewing.
Recently, the internet was also cut off in Ji County.
An insider revealed that a staff member from the crematorium
as detained after he said “200 dead bodies were delivered there on that day”.
All staff of Ji county hospital involved in the rescue
were also told to keep silent.
The victims』 families received 610,000 Yuan compensation
as the cost of keeping silent, or they will be suppressed.
Civilians were warned that any discussion of fire or posting
any relevant messages online will get them arrested.
Ms. Zhao, Tianjin resident says: ”Don’t ask me about the
accident. I know nothing about it.
I have been notified from meetings that whoever
mentions the fire in an interview would be arrested.”
However, the authority’s suppressions have induced
more rage from civilians.
On July 6th, tens of thousands of city residents demonstrated
on the streets, to mourn the dead from the fire.
They also called for an investigation into the real facts behind
the accident.
At the same time, more details of the truth are being
revealed gradually.
According to a report by dajiyuan.com, some witness
confirmed that
the fire was caused by an overloaded outdoor air-conditioner
compressor located at the south of Laide Shopping Center.
Although it is 10 minutes walk between the shopping center
and the county fire station, fire-engines took over 25 minutes to arrive after being called.
What’s more, the fire brigade wasn’t equipped with enough
hydraulic pressure with no aerial ladders or air cushions.
Consequently, the firefighters did nothing during the most
important 30 minutes window for rescue.
They stood and watched the fire devouring the whole building.
Another shocking fact has also been revealed. Although many
lives were threatened during the fire by being stuck in the building,
the shopping center manager closed the exits on one side
to prevent commodities from being stolen,
which blocked access for many victims escaping the fire.
