According to Xianfeng News, on January 16, a woman surnamed Wang posted a public apology video to residents in her neighborhood after accidentally causing a serious safety hazard. She explained that she forgot to turn off the tap of a solar-powered hot water system installed on the building’s rooftop after taking a shower the previous night.
Because the tap remained open, water continued flowing into the storage tank and leaked continuously for nine hours. By the next morning, the spilled water had completely frozen as nighttime temperatures in Lanzhou dropped to -8°C (17.6°F). “The icy road everyone saw this morning was caused by me. I’m truly sorry for my mistake,” Wang said in the video.
Another clip recorded by her family showed water streaming from the rooftop tank, running down the building walls, and spilling onto the road below, quickly forming a thick and slippery layer of ice.
The first person to discover the incident was Wang’s father, who has a habit of waking up early to exercise. Around 6 a.m., he noticed the road was covered in ice but initially assumed the leak came from another apartment. After further inspection, he realized the water was coming from his own family’s unit.
He immediately called his daughter downstairs to clear the ice and fix the situation. Wang’s mother rushed to nearby convenience stores to buy salt to spread across the frozen road to help melt the ice, reportedly causing several stores in the area to run out of salt. “If anyone couldn’t buy salt this morning, I sincerely apologize,” Wang added.
She revealed that her father scolded her harshly, not only because of the danger caused but also out of embarrassment toward neighbors. Later, property management staff joined the family in clearing the ice. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The story quickly spread across Chinese social media and sparked widespread discussion. Many netizens expressed sympathy, noting that Wang and her family took responsibility and promptly handled the consequences. “She admitted her mistake and worked to fix it quickly. I think residents should forgive her,” one user commented. Another also jokingly wrote, “This incident probably saved the entire salt industry.”
Sources: Znews