Fire at Chinese martial arts school claims the lives of 18 children

A fire broke out at a Chinese martial arts school in central Henan Province on Friday, claiming the lives of at least18 children.

According to the state-run news agency Xinhua, the victims of the fire, who boarded at the school, were of the ages of seven through 16. The authorities in China are currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Consequently, the local country Communist party secretary was relieved of his duties along with three other officials, according to the state media. The higher official in the region, Lou Yangsheng, Henan’s provincial Communist party leader, has labelled the incident as a “profound lesson”

The Henan province- where these calamitous fires have become common- is considered to be the origins of the historic and revered Chinese martial arts and serves as home to the famed Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Kung Fu.