NEW VIDEO: Documents, other materials appear to be burned in courtyard of Consulate General of China in Houston, Texas; police and fire responded but its unclear it they entered property
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 22, 2020
@KPRC2Tulsi
pic.twitter.com/4vZktNpsWQ
.@HoustonFire and @houstonpolice are responding to reports of documents being burned at the Consulate General of China on 3417 Montrose Boulevard. Here's what the scene looks like there right now. pic.twitter.com/grUHhqmUz4
— KPRC2Tulsi (@KPRC2Tulsi) July 22, 2020
Fire trucks were seen parked outside of the Chinese Consulate in Houston after nearby residents saw smoke billowing from the building.
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 22, 2020
This comes as the U.S. State Dept. ordered the closure of the consulate. https://t.co/zIQ82EXnYE pic.twitter.com/HQ9YRmAPVj
Strange scene in Houston last night as fire fighters are told they can't enter the Chinese Consulate to fight a fire. Documents were reportedly burned in a courtyard after US govt. gave the consulate until Friday to leave the building. More @houstonchron: https://t.co/OtLWcjOeWt pic.twitter.com/1WvnyXDBDd
— Mark Mulligan (@mrkmully) July 22, 2020
中驻美休士顿领事馆发生火警 翻摄自Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian推特
近期美中关係紧张,加上新冠肺炎与港版国安法通过等事件持续延烧,美中关係的情势变化成为外界关注的焦点。根据外媒报导,当地时间21日晚上8点,休斯顿消防局接获当地居民报案,中国驻美国休士顿领事馆发生火警,现场浓烟密布,然消防人员到场后却被阻挡门外,无法入内处理。
根据《ABC13》报导,星期二晚间,当地居民因看到浓烟密布,故报警处理。根据当地电视台拨放周边居民从高处拍摄的画面显示,当时有多人在领事馆的露天后院的铁桶裡焚烧大量文件,然而领事馆等同于该国领土,消防人员并没有权利可以入内,因此休士顿消防局被阻挡在门外,没有权限进入领事馆后院灭火。
美国专门报导中国事务的记者,艾伦恶布拉希米恩(Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian)于推特上也分享了现场照片,并且发文写道:「大家应该都十分清楚这代表什麽」。
消防队的指挥佩纳(Sam Pena)则表示,据当时焚烧的情况来看,此次并非无限制的火灾,儘管没有被允许入内,消防队员仍在门外进行待命并监视情况。而根据当地媒体报导,休士顿总领事馆被建筑大楼业主要求,需于本周星期五前迁离该大楼,此举是否在为迁离做准备则尚未证实。
艾伦厄布拉希米恩:「大家应该都十分清楚这代表什麽」 翻摄自Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian推特