Many Foreigners Inside — Hotel Fire Erupts During Morning Rush

Source: OT-Team(G)，金羊网

  A fire broke out in the early hours of April 23 at the Ocean Hotel, located at 412 Huanshi East Road in Guangzhou's Yuexiu District.  

The blaze, which started in the basement power distribution room, triggered an urgent evacuation involving hundreds of guests, including many foreign visitors attending the ongoing Canton Fair.

Guangzhou Fire Services received the alarm at 6:27 a.m. and promptly dispatched crews to the scene. The fire was brought under control and extinguished by 6:57 a.m., with no injuries reported.

By later that morning, nearby residents had been safely evacuated, and authorities set up police cordons to prevent bystanders from approaching the building.

• Over 200 Guests Relocated, Including Many Foreign Visitors

Following the incident, the Ocean Hotel immediately activated its emergency response protocol, organizing the evacuation of guests from 370 rooms. Over 200 guests were temporarily relocated to the nearby Huatai Hotel.

Given that the hotel was accommodating many foreign business travelers due to the ongoing Canton Fair, staff and local community volunteers worked together to provide assistance. Volunteers offered translation services and guided non-Chinese-speaking guests to alternative accommodations, using English signage and offering supplies such as coffee, bottled water, and bread.

Residents of older nearby housing in the Qinglongfang area were also evacuated as a precaution, while emergency personnel established safety perimeters to ensure order.

• Heavy Smoke from Smoldering Electrical Shaft

Footage shared online showed firefighters using ladders to reach windows on the third and fourth floors, assisting some guests in exiting the building. Reporters at the scene noted a strong smell of burning plastic, and traffic on Huanshi East Road heading east was significantly slowed during the emergency.

Officials from Yuexiu District's emergency management department confirmed the source of the incident was a smoldering electrical shaft that released heavy smoke but did not escalate into widespread flames.

Emergency response teams from both the city and district arrived swiftly, and traffic conditions later returned to normal.

• Hotel: "Guests Safe and Accounted For"

A spokesperson for the Ocean Hotel confirmed that all guests were safely evacuated and no one was injured. In addition to available rooms, the hotel also opened meeting rooms as temporary rest areas for those displaced. "All guests have been properly accommodated. We are now fully cooperating with authorities in inspecting and addressing any potential safety hazards," the spokesperson said.

The Ocean Hotel, a four-star business hotel operating since 1986, underwent a facade lighting renovation in 2024.