An accident at a barbecue restaurant in Zhejaing Province has left three people burned, one critically.

Closed circuit TV at the Haorizi Restaurant in the town of Yiwu caught the incident which happened on Tuesday afternoon. Sophomore college students Xiao Qian, 20, and Xiao Qing, also 20, were having a last-minute respite before the resumption of their college classes. The eatery features personal grills at each table.

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Reports describe how Qing, feeling the grill was not hot enough, motioned for the fuel tank to be refilled. Waitress Xiao Shan, 18, carrying a large container of alcohol in both hands, proceeded to top up the table's supply, but instead of filling the tank, she poured the flammable liquid onto the grill. Even as Qing tried to stop the employee, flames erupted and shot up into the air. Shan immediately dropped the container, sending the contents, now themselves ablaze, splashing over Qian, who is seen to vanish in a ball of fire.

Qing and other guests at other tables are seen trying to smother the flames engulfing Qian, who had stumbled into the middle of the restaurant.

Qian is now reported to have suffered burns of varying degrees across 78 percent of her body. Qing and Shan were also injured in the incident, but the severity of their wounds was not reported. Shan was the least injured of the three.

All three were rushed to the emergency room of a local hospital, where Xiao Qian was later listed in critical condition. Police are investigating the CCTV footage to rebuild events; it is not known if any charges have yet been filed.

The accident has received wide exposure on Chinese social media, including Sina Weibo. A donation campaign for Qian and her injuries is underway, and calls for blood donation have been issued.

Tagsfire, accident, burn, Yiwu, Haorizi