The 61st Regiment Farm fire occurred on 18 February 1977, at a frontier farm outside of Khorgos, Xinjiang, China. The fire broke out during a movie screening at the communal hall for Chinese New Year, when a 12-year-old audience member set off a ground-spinning firecracker, which ignited mourning wreaths for Mao Zedong displaying in the hall. Although the wreaths should have been incinerated months before, the regiment felt pressure to keep them. There was a crowd crush at the only exit.
694 people died and 161 were injured in the fire, mostly children of veterans. It is the deadliest fire in China since the foundation of the People's Republic and a major Chinese disaster.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm fire alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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