On the last day of his leave, Ren Yi had originally planned to invite Fu Kai and a few of his buddies out for drinks. Unexpectedly, it was the weekend, and everyone already had their own arrangements. He couldn’t get a single person to come out.
Unable to resist, he gave Fu Kai a good scolding. “You’re always running around after your wife and kid. Don’t you have any ambition?”
“Sure, you’re ambitious. You’re single, so you can have all the fun you want.” Fu Kai said with a grin. “Who were you drinking with last night? I saw your post on WeChat Moments.”
“No one.”
“You were drinking alone under the moon? Only a fool would believe that.” Fu Kai said gossipily. “So, who did our handsome Captain Ren favor last night? Don’t tell me it was that actor again?”
Ren Yi answered vaguely.
“It really was him.” Fu Kai clicked his tongue.
“What exactly do you mean by that tone?”
“We’ve been brothers for so many years, so I won’t criticize your taste. Do young girls nowadays really like that effeminate type?” Fu Kai said in a tone full of exasperation.
“He looks better than you, with all that hair on your face. Besides, he said that a handsome, dashing, masculine type like me is actually more popular.” Ren Yi stroked his chin. “Should I change careers? I want to get rich too.”
“Have some self-awareness. Forget about it. You’re destined to spend your entire life tangled up with fire.”
“Hey, blame Old Ren for giving me such a name.”
The two exchanged a few more insults before finally hanging up.
After dinner, Ren Yi accompanied his father for a walk. That night, after coaxing his father to sleep, he lay in bed and played games for a while. He had no idea when he eventually fell asleep.
In the middle of a deep sleep, Ren Yi was suddenly awakened by the ringing of his phone.
He reached for the phone in the darkness. Before his eyes had adjusted to the light enough to see who was calling, he had already swiped to answer. “Hello?”
“Ren Yi, Fourth Perspective is on fire.” Qu Yangbo’s voice was calm but urgent.
Ren Yi leaped out of bed, turned on the light, and grabbed his clothes to pull them on. “Keep talking.”
“The brigade has reassigned two more squadrons here. Get downstairs immediately. We’ll pick you up at the street corner.”
“Got it.”
Ren Yi quickly got dressed, rushed out of the house like a whirlwind, sprinted downstairs, and ran toward the entrance of the residential compound.
As he ran out through the compound gates, he happened to see the fire engines across the street pulling out of the station.
Aside from two patrol motorcycles and one patrol Jeep, their squadron had five fire engines designed for rescue operations:
Vehicle No. 1: A comprehensive emergency rescue vehicle equipped with various tools. It was the smallest and most maneuverable, suitable for non-fire-related rescues.
Vehicle No. 2: A 12-ton medium-sized water tanker equipped with a foam-mixing system and dry powder extinguishing agent, suitable for small fires.
Vehicle No. 3: A 15-meter aerial ladder rescue vehicle equipped with a crane arm, a tow truck, and a solid steel bumper half a meter thick, specially designed for collisions.
Vehicle No. 4: A 70-meter elevated water-spray fire engine equipped with a rescue platform and a four-ton water tank, suitable for high-rise rescues.
Vehicle No. 5: A 30-ton heavy-duty water supply tanker fire engine.
For ordinary rescue operations, their team could usually handle most accidents by dispatching the first three vehicles. Vehicles No. 4 and No. 5 were both massive machines that might only be used a few times a year. When Ren Yi saw four of the five vehicles pulling out of the station, excluding Vehicle No. 4, he knew immediately that a serious emergency had occurred.
Fourth Perspective was a bar within his jurisdiction, somewhat famous in Tianqi. Saturday night was when bars were busiest, with huge crowds of people. If a fire broke out at this time, the consequences would be unimaginable.
The moment the vehicle stopped in front of him, Ren Yi pulled open the door and jumped inside. Everyone was fully equipped, and even Qu Yangbo had come out.
As Ren Yi put on his own protective equipment, he asked, “What’s the situation?”
“A fire broke out in a private room on the second floor of Fourth Perspective. Smoke is rapidly spreading through the central air-conditioning vents, causing large numbers of people on the second and third floors to suffer poisoning or become trapped. During the evacuation of the dance floor on the first floor, a stampede occurred. With the help of the wind direction, the fire is spreading toward the neighboring buildings. The headquarters has dispatched the Sanning Squadron and the Luoxiangkou Squadron as well. Chief of Staff Xu is heading to the scene.”
“What about Fourth Perspective’s file?”
Qu Yangbo handed him the documents.
Every fire station established fire safety files for key facilities within its jurisdiction. So-called key facilities were those that stored hazardous materials, were large in size, attracted large crowds, or could cause significant loss of life or property in the event of an accident. Meeting just one of these conditions was enough to make an establishment a key concern for the fire department.
These files included building blueprints and emergency fire safety plans. High-risk facilities were also required to provide fire emergency plans, employ an in-house fire brigade, undergo regular fire inspections, and even conduct fire drills.
Although Fourth Perspective’s file did not contain a fire emergency plan, it included complete building blueprints and internal structural diagrams.
The first floor of Fourth Perspective consisted of a dance floor surrounded by booths on both sides. The second and third floors were entirely private rooms. On a Saturday night like this, the number of people inside could reach four to five hundred.
Ren Yi had also visited this bar before. Large amounts of polyurethane foam had been used for soundproofing and decoration inside. The curtains in the private rooms were made of polyester-cotton blended synthetic fiber. These two materials alone were highly flammable, and their combustion released large amounts of carbon monoxide.
At that moment, a voice came through the radio. “Captain Ren, until Chief of Staff Xu arrives at the scene, you are authorized to exercise command.”
Ren Yi replied, “Received.”
It was already one in the morning. The roads were completely clear, and five minutes later, they arrived at the scene.
Fourth Perspective was located in the middle section of Bar Street. The entire street was lined with bars, KTVs, restaurants, shops, mahjong parlors, and other establishments. It was a famous nightlife district. The buildings here were low-rise, generally no more than four stories tall, but they were packed closely together. Some had virtually no gap between them. Almost none of the fire separation distances between buildings met safety standards.
Such a cluster of buildings could easily cause flames to spread, resulting in a serious fire that consumed one building after another.
The local police station and traffic control department had already arrived before them, directing traffic and evacuating the crowds. The nearby streets were packed with people.
The fire on the second floor of Fourth Perspective was raging violently. Thick smoke rolled through the third floor. All the windows on the first floor had shattered, and flames were already licking toward the neighboring hot pot restaurant. Large amounts of black-brown smoke filled the scene.
Almost every window on the second and third floors had people crying for help. The sounds of crying, screams, the crackling of fire, and sirens intertwined into a scene straight out of hell.
The moment Ren Yi got out of the vehicle, a traffic officer ran over to him anxiously.
“Captain Ren, everyone from the surrounding shops has been evacuated. Large numbers of people are trapped inside the bar. The emergency exit at the back of the bar has been locked.”
Ren Yi nodded. “The smoke is toxic. Drive everyone away.” He pressed his radio. “Headquarters, request assistance from the gas department to cut off the gas supply to Bar Street.”
“Received.”
“Sun Dingyi, go around to the back and breach the emergency exit door.”
“Cui Yisheng, your squad will send three people to secure the water supply. You take one person to the third floor and open the smoke exhaust vents.”
“Qu Yangbo, first take Cui Yisheng to the rooftop of the third floor. Then break through the third-floor windows and rescue the trapped people at the windows. Once the smoke vents are open, lead personnel inside for search and rescue.”
“Gao Ge, deploy two hose lines…”
“Firefighters! Firefighters!” A middle-aged man being driven away from the area waved his hands desperately and shouted at Ren Yi. “I’m the owner of the hot pot restaurant! Firefighters!”
Ren Yi glanced at him. “Let him through.”
The man ran up to Ren Yi in panic. “My restaurant is full of small gas cylinders! There’s one at every table!”
Ren Yi’s expression darkened. “Gao Ge, take people to move all the gas cylinders out. Deploy two hose lines to suppress the fire from the southwest windows. You must protect the hot pot restaurant and prevent the fire from spreading there. Deploy another hose line from the southeast exterior wall for cooling.”
“Yes!”
“Why aren’t you rescuing people yet!” someone in the crowd shouted. “There are people trapped inside!”
Someone cried out, “My sister is in there! Why aren’t you going in to save people!”
Ren Yi stared at the bar engulfed in flames. Sweat covered his forehead, and his heart pounded violently.
At that moment, the fire on the third floor was not particularly large; the main danger was the thick smoke. But before the smoke vents had been opened, he could not risk sending people inside for search and rescue. Fire, by its nature, would always move upward when conditions allowed. Therefore, when a fire in a low-rise building became uncontrollable, a section of the roof had to be opened on the top floor. Otherwise, the fire would spread toward every window in search of oxygen. Entering to rescue people under such circumstances would most likely result in rescuers being trapped by the flames.
The situation on the second floor was even more serious. There was a constant risk of flashover, backdraft, and even structural collapse. He had only one aerial ladder vehicle and could not attend to both the third and second floors simultaneously.
Anxiously, he asked, “Headquarters, how much longer until the Sanning Squadron and Luoxiangkou Squadron arrive at the scene?”
“Two minutes and six minutes.”
Ren Yi gritted his teeth and paced back and forth at the entrance of the bar. The only floor they could currently enter for search and rescue was the first floor, but they were severely short-staffed. If he led a team inside, there would be no one left to command the scene.
“Are you people insane? You’re spraying water at the hot pot restaurant when the bar is on fire!” someone shouted angrily from the crowd.
“Yeah! Why are you spraying water at the exterior wall?”
“Why isn’t anyone going inside to rescue people?”
At that moment, Sun Dingyi pried open the emergency exit door. The moment it opened, dozens of people surged out. Someone at the front fell to the ground, only to be crushed and trampled by those behind him.
Sun Dingyi and several firefighters desperately tried to control the crowd, shouting until their voices were hoarse. “Don’t push! Don’t shove!”
Among this group, some still had the strength to walk, some crawled toward the exit with the last of their strength, and others had already collapsed in the passageway. They fled without regard for anything else because what was behind them was more vicious and terrifying than any wild beast.
Sun Dingyi spoke into the radio. “Captain Ren, requesting permission to enter the first floor through the emergency passage for search and rescue.”
“Go.”
Two minutes later, the Sanning Squadron arrived at the scene. Ren Yi immediately deployed their aerial ladder vehicle to break through the second-floor windows, but ordered them only to rescue people trapped at the windows and forbade anyone from entering the second floor.
At that moment, Cui Yisheng opened the smoke exhaust vents on the rooftop. Ren Yi ordered his team to immediately enter the third floor for search and rescue.
Another two minutes passed before Brigade Chief of Staff Xu Jin arrived at the scene. Ren Yi immediately reported the situation to Xu Jin, then requested permission to lead a team inside for search and rescue on the first floor.
Xu Jin looked gravely at the smoke and flames on the second floor. “Pair up in twos and connect your safety ropes. No one is allowed to move alone. Bring the instruments and measure the carbon monoxide levels.”
“Yes!”
Ren Yi brought a total of eleven firefighters from his own squadron and the Sanning Squadron. Every two people were connected by a single rope. The conditions inside a fire scene were complex, and the thick smoke made visibility extremely poor. They were also unfamiliar with the internal layout, making it easy to get lost. Moving in pairs ensured safety and mutual assistance.
Ren Yi put on his mask and looked at the crimson flames. His gaze was resolute and fearless.
In a deep voice, he said, “Move.”
The group entered the fire scene without hesitation.
On the first floor, the ceiling had caught fire first. Gypsum board had a certain degree of fire resistance, but as the flames grew increasingly intense, large sections began falling away. The bar counter and booth sofas on the first floor caught fire. Only the spacious dance floor, which contained no combustible materials, had temporarily escaped the flames. But ceiling materials continued crashing down, making it equally dangerous.
The intense heat and thick smoke made the scene before them resemble purgatory. Ren Yi adjusted his breathing as much as possible to conserve the air in his breathing apparatus.
“You two, go to the booths on the east side. You two, go to the booths on the west side. Ding Qing, cover the bar area. Everyone else, follow me to the restrooms.”
“Yes.”
The booth areas had already been engulfed by flames. Ren Yi led his team across the dance floor, with the crackling sounds of burning materials filling their ears. As they moved, Ren Yi watched the readings on his instrument and reported, “Chief of Staff, the lower explosive limit on the first floor has already reached 46 percent. There are many decorative materials releasing carbon monoxide on the second floor. It’s definitely even higher there.”
“Received.”
“Captain Ren, someone is here!”
Someone had discovered a person lying at the edge of the dance floor. Ceiling materials continued falling around him, making the situation extremely dangerous.
Ren Yi shouted, “Don’t move.”
He strained to observe the ceiling through the thick smoke, waiting for a relatively safe moment. After waiting a full five or six seconds, he finally shouted, “Now!”
Ren Yi led the way as they rushed over. Several people worked together to carry the victim into the dance floor area. He had suffered extensive burns and was unconscious, but still had a pulse. Ren Yi had two people carry him out while the rest continued feeling their way toward the restrooms.
“Chief of Staff, requesting permission to enter the second floor for search and rescue.” The voice of Wang Meng, captain of the Luoxiangkou Squadron, came through the radio.
“Denied.” Xu Jin’s voice was steady and firm.
“Chief of Staff, requesting permission to enter the second floor for search and rescue. Three minutes.”
“Denied.”
“Two minutes.”
Xu Jin fell silent.
“One minute!” Wang Meng shouted urgently.
Xu Jin remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “One minute.”
Ren Yi said, “Wang Meng, don’t go to the southeast side. That’s where the fire started.”
“Received.”
“Captain Ren, there are people in the restrooms!”
Amid their shouting, a faint response came from inside the restroom.
The restroom door had warped out of shape. Ren Yi kicked it hard twice, but it still would not open. However, the door panel had loosened. Finally, he and Liu Hui slammed into it together and forced it open.
The restroom was packed with people—at least thirty or more. They had stuffed wet rags and wet toilet paper into the gaps around the door and continuously splashed water onto it, doing everything possible to prevent toxic smoke from entering and radiant heat from burning through the door.
When the door opened, the faces of the young people inside were a mixture of despair and hope. Many of them broke down crying.
Ren Yi asked, “Sun Dingyi, is the emergency escape route clear?”
“Clear. There’s water mist cover.”
“You two, take the people through the emergency passage. Everyone else, follow me to the kitchen.”
“Yes.” A firefighter from the Sanning Squadron shouted, “Bend down, hold hands. That’s right, nobody let go. Don’t panic. Follow me!”
Ren Yi led the remaining three people across the dance floor once again. Based on his recollection of the blueprints, the kitchen and employee offices were on the other side of the dance floor.
Just as they reached the very center of the dance floor, a sound of structural loosening suddenly came from overhead. The group looked up, but all they could see was thick smoke; nothing was visible.
Then the ceiling came crashing down from above.
Ren Yi tackled Liu Hui, who was connected to him, to the ground. The burning ceiling materials and metal framework collapsed onto the four of them.
Ren Yi and Liu Hui had reacted quickly and suffered only minor injuries, but the other two had been buried beneath the ceiling debris.
The two of them climbed to their feet, slapped out the sparks burning on their clothes, and hurried over to rescue their comrades. One man’s face mask had been damaged, and he was struggling to breathe.
After they cleared away the ceiling debris, the other firefighter was semi-conscious, and his body had caught fire. Liu Hui released the buckle connecting their safety rope, threw himself onto the man, and rolled back and forth with him. Their firefighting suits had heat insulation and flame-retardant properties, but flame-retardant did not mean fireproof. Once ignited, they were still extremely dangerous.
The two men eventually extinguished the flames, but both of their protective suits had suffered varying degrees of damage, and the fire had already injured their flesh. With no other choice, Ren Yi and Liu Hui could only take the two wounded firefighters outside first.
The moment they stepped out of the bar’s entrance, they heard Xu Jin shouting, “All personnel evacuate the building immediately! All personnel evacuate the building immediately!”
Ren Yi turned around and saw flames and smoke rolling across the second-floor ceiling like waves. The temperature at the fire scene was rising rapidly. Even though he had already come outside, he still felt as though his skin was about to be roasted away.
This was a sign of flashover!
Ren Yi supported the injured firefighter and quickly moved away from the building.
The search-and-rescue personnel from all three floors were evacuating, but Wang Meng’s second-floor search-and-rescue team was nowhere to be seen.
Ren Yi stared at the second-floor windows, his eyes bloodshot and his body trembling uncontrollably.
Then came a strange, muffled sound.
The flames suddenly surged, and in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the entire three-story building was engulfed.
The next moment, the second floor exploded with a thunderous roar!