Bunk bed college death prompts concern

The death of a 21-year-old college student, after falling from a top bunk bed, has raised safety concerns.

Bunk beds in a dormitory room at a university in Guizhou, capital of Guiyang Province. [File Photo: IC]

The student, surnamed Wang, was found lying on the floor of her room in a residence of the University of Foreign Languages in Zhejiang Province, at around 7:00 am, on September 17, 2017.

Four of her roommates were elsewhere at the time of the accident, but a sleeping roommate was woken by what she described as "a big noise," and found Wang "lying motionless on the floor." Help arrived within minutes of her raising the alarm.

Wang was rushed to hospital, but all efforts to revive her proved in vain.

The hospital said the student's death was due to "a cardiac arrest caused by a fall."

The police have ruled out a homicide, and an investigation is currently underway.

While the exact circumstances of the accident remain unknown, it's believed Wang may have fallen from her top bunk.

Similar incidents have been reported in the past. Last month, a student was seriously injured after falling from her top bunk in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Two Chinese students chatting in their dormitory at Chengdu Normal University in Chengdu city, Sichuan province, May 15, 2017. Loft beds with desks are a common feature in student accommodation. [File Photo: IC]

Traditional bunks beds, along with newer loft-style beds with desks, are widely used in Chinese colleges. As yet there are no legal standards for furniture of this kind.

Wang's death has once again prompted questions about their safety.

Stories of similar incidents have been circulating on social media, with one post saying the incident is "a common longtime nightmare that finally came true."

Others have urged the Chinese authorities to set standards for this kind of furniture.

They also call for the living conditions for Chinese students to be improved.