Qian Lingyun and Liu Jie - Firefighters and Heroes - Shanghai, China

Firefighters Qian Lingyun, age 23, and Liu Jie, age 20, died in the line of duty on May 1, 2014, in the Xuhui District of Shanghai, China. 

Qian Lingyun (Left); Liu Jie (Right)

They were members of the Shanghai Fire Service. They joined the Service in 2012 and served with the Xuhui District Bureau.

Around 2:00 p.m., a fire broke out on the 13th floor of a high-rise apartment building. It

Qian Lingyun and Liu Jie are
heroes of China

is believed that no one was inside the apartment at the time. The cause of the fire is under investigation. However, firefighters said that there were a number of electrical items plugged into sockets and a lot of electric wiring visible. It was reported that several groups of tenants lived in close quarters in the three room apartment.

The two firefighters were inside the building and fighting the fire when an explosion occurred and blew them out of a window on the 13th floor. The two men fell to a platform on the second floor of the building. They were rushed to the hospital but died of their injuries.

It is believed that just prior to their fall from the window, Qian Lingyun tried to grab the hand of Liu Jie to save him.

The two men were friends as well as colleagues.

The members of the Fire Service are in mourning over the deaths of their comrades. Many firefighters were seen to be visibly shaken and had tears in their eyes at the scene of this tragedy.

The families of both firefighters are devastated over the sudden and tragic deaths

Pray for Qian Lingyun
and for Liu Jie

of their loved ones.

Qian Lingyun and Liu Jie are survived by many loving comrades, friends and family members, who will forever mourn them.

Thank you for your service to Shanghai, Qian Lingyun and Liu Jie. You are heroes of China.

Pray for all who die in the line of duty.

Pray that Qian Lingyun and Liu Jie are in heaven. Pray that they are at peace and are with God. Amen.