Parents who lost daughter to establish charity fund
Local villa owners compensated by developer for child killed by falling fireplace
The parents of a five-year-old girl, crushed to death by a falling fireplace in their home in 2009, will donate some of the compensation from the community's developer to start a charity foundation.
The girl surnamed Gong was killed by the collapse of a 100 kg fireplace in the family's villa in Napa Valley, Changping district, on May 17, 2009. Gong was sent to hospital but died six hours later.
The ensuing dispute between family and developer lasted for more than eight months. Gong's body was finally cremated on Feb 10, according to Li Fangping, a lawyer representing the family.
Li Wei, CEO of the developer, apologized to the family and signed a dispute settlement agreement with the family on Feb 5.
Lawyer Li said the developer would pay more than 2 million yuan to the family and buy back the villa at the current market value - currently 35,000 to 42,300 yuan per sq m.
"It is a pity we could not start a criminal investigation, but Gong's family now just want to start their new life," Li told METRO.
Li said Gong's father would set up a fund with part of the compensation to protect other children. The fund would be ready in May to mark the anniversary.
"After my daughter died, I checked and found that the fireplace had only been glued on the wall," Gong Yaobin, the girl's father, wrote in his blog.
Mao Daqing, vice-president of Vanke Co Ltd, wrote in his blog on Aug 24, 2009 that these types of heavy fireplaces must always be secured with metal reinforcements.
On May 25, Gong demanded the developer of the community to provide his family with an explanation. However, he only received a letter of sympathy from the property management company, a subsidiary of the developer.
"The developer refused to apologize or admit fault and even avoided our family for up to three months after the accident," Gong said in his blog on Aug 24.
Gong finally called the police on Sept 1. An investigation team went to his house the following day.
A report on the fireplace, announced by Changping police on Feb 8, said the design was below the State standard, but it was not a criminal case.