Reporter takes selfies at car accident scene

Ling Ziying, a host of Yingshang traffic broadcasting station at Fuyang City, east China’s Anhui Province, has caused an online debate for taking insensitive selfie shots at the scene of a car accident while working.

This serious rear-end collision happened on Chuxin highway. 18 people were killed and 21 others were injured in the crash involving more than 30 vehicles in Anhui on Wednesday. At least 11 people were severely injured and are currently being treated at the hospital.

“Ling did not have sympathy for the victims and injured people, which is ironic for her media credentials,” criticized netizen @leishuiyefengkuang on Weibo.

Another netizen @xinxinyang commented on Weibo, “The host has no conscience. These people physically encountered wounds and some of them even lost their lives or families. She did not think about the victims’ families.”

Yingshang traffic broadcasting station published a statement regarding Ling Ziying’s incident on Thursday through Weibo, so-called Chinese Twitter.  They finally decided to fire Ling and said her supervisor also should be suspended from work with an investigation underway. The broadcasting station expressed their sincere condolences to the victims. They said that they will strictly manage and strengthen staff quality education and professional training. 

Ling Ziying posted a short video through Wechat to make an apology on Wednesday night. She explained that on the day of the accident, the policeman was her fan and wanted to take a photo with her.  She did not think about the accident when she took the picture.  She regrets how her behavior made a negative influence on the society and hoped people could accept her apology.