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
@KPRC2Tulsi
pic.twitter.com/4vZktNpsWQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911)
July 22, 2020
.
@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.
This comes as the U.S. State Dept. ordered the closure of the consulate.
https://t.co/zIQ82EXnYE pic.twitter.com/HQ9YRmAPVj
— NBC News (@NBCNews)
July 22, 2020
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
