Tragic moment explosion throws two firefighters from 13th-floor balcony of building they were trying to save

Firefighters called to kitchen fire in apartment block in Shanghai yesterday

Qian Lingyun, 23, and Liu Jie, 20, were trying to extinguish 13th floor blaze

Explosion threw Liu over balcony, but Qian managed to grab his arm

Qian tried to pull Liu to safety, but weight proved too much for him

Pair plunged hand-in-hand to their deaths on the pavement below

Spokesman praised men 'g uarding one another in life, inseparable in death'

These shocking pictures show the moment two firemen were swept off a 13th floor balcony in China before falling hand-in-hand to their death.

Qian Lingyun, 23, and Liu Jie, 20, were trying to extinguish a blaze sweeping through an apartment block in Shanghai yesterday when the tragedy happened.

According to passers-by, Liu apparently fell from the balcony first after being pushed back by a wall of flame, and Qian had grabbed his hand to try and save him.

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These shocking pictures capture the moment two firefighters plunged 13 storeys to their deaths in Shanghai

However, the weight proved too much, and the pair plunged from the block of flats, falling hand in hand on to the pavement below.

Fire brigade spokesman Jian Ku said: 'Firemen always watch each other's backs, they look after each other, this tragic death shows the strength of that bond between colleagues.



'Guarding one another in life, inseparable in death.'



The tragedy happened when emergency services were called to tackle a blaze on floor 13 of a residential block.



The fire had broken out in an apartment kitchen and had spread rapidly through the property, threatening to engulf the entire building.

The men had been trying to put out a blaze on the 13th floor of this apartment block when tragedy struck

An explosion threw Liu from this balcony, and Qian tried to grab him but wasn't strong enough

According to officials, the apartment's owners had been using a large amount of electrical equipment, which may have started the fire.



Jian Ku added: 'Firefighters were engaged in rescue efforts at the scene that involved seeing if people were trapped inside and putting out the blaze when an explosion caused them to be thrown from the building.

'One managed to grab a handhold and grabbed his colleague, with the result they both plunged to their deaths.



'All their colleagues and friends are mourning for them and send condolences to their families.'



The fire is thought to have started in a kitchen before gutting the flat and threatening the whole block

Police are investigating. Firefighters say flat's owners were using a large amount of electrical equipment

Qian and Liu had joined the city's fire service in December 2012. The tragic video of their deaths was taken by a passer by, Ken Lo, on his mobile phone.



He said: 'It looked like one fell first and the other reached over to grab him.



'The falling one managed to grasp the hand of his comrade but his weight was too great. His would-be rescuer was pulled over into the void. It was a terrible thing to witness.'

