Old couple, both 85, commits suicide in their home

(People's Daily Online) 16:27, November 19, 2015

According to the police in Jinshan District of Shanghai, a fire broke out in a residentialhouse on Nov. 15, 2015, killing a couple, both 85 years old. The police said this couple choseto end life in that way.

Their grandchildren came to their home on the morning of Nov. 15, 2015 and departed atnoon. The thick smoke was spotted coming out of their burning house by their next-doorneighbor at about 1:30 p.m. Their neighbor called the police for help and tried their best tosave this couple.

The iron door was chained shut and the wooden door was locked from inside, according tothe police at the scene. The police and their neighbors at the scene smelled gas. The firewas put out quickly by the firefighters, but this couple had died. "The husband and wife lienext to each other, holding hands," said their neighbor Chen Gaoshan.

They have been married before they met each other and got married in their fifties. Fouryears ago, the wife was paralyzed, and had been taken care of by Zhu.

More than a month ago, the daughter of the wife told the neighborhood committee that herstepfather did not allow her to visit her mother. The director of the neighborhoodcommittee surnamed Lei advised the husband to give a key of their house to thisstepdaughter. The husband replied that children can take care of his wife if they would liketo. But he did not give the key to his stepdaughter.

The old man once wrote a letter of thanks in the tone of his wife, saying that due to herillness, she had been confined to her bed for years and her time had come; she expressedthanks to all the neighbors who had helped her. The old man posted this letter on the irondoor. The neighbors felt sorry that they chose to leave this world in that way.

The husband surnamed Zhu laid sacrifices and eight 100 yuan banknotes on the table atthe door of his house. Zhu said that he wanted to pray for the health of his wife when hisneighbor Chen Gaoshan asked him why he did that. Chen believed Zhu's words as he, aman from southeast China's Fujian province, knows nothing about the customs andtraditions in Shanghai. Now, he realized that Zhu must have made his mind to end the lifeof himself and his wife.

(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook)(Editor:Ma Xiaochun,Bianji)

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