(Minghui.org) My apartment was on fire 11 years ago. The outcome was quite surprising. Although it was reported on television and in newspapers that I had a big loss, the real situation was not like that.
My way of dealing with things after the fire let many people learn the truth about Falun Gong. Those who had harassed me for practicing Falun Gong before the fire, stopped doing so afterward.
I have practiced Falun Gong for over a dozen years. At the end of 2001, police threatened me, attempting to stop me from practicing. They claimed that employees at my workplace, as well as the Residential Committee, would be deprived of their salaries if I didn't stop. However, I refused. Those who were affected were very upset; they complained and said that I could have just done the Falun Gong exercises secretly at home, without letting others know. My family also blamed me.
At about 11 a.m. on January 15, 2002, I turned on the stove, getting ready to cook. Suddenly, I heard a big explosion and things in my room falling down. My gas meter had exploded. The flame from the gas pipe soared up to the ceiling. Everything happened within a few seconds. It was a big explosion.
Someone told me to shut down the gas by pulling the gas valve handle. However, the fire was too big, and the handle was engulfed in flames. I found a wet towel and covered my hand before trying to reach it by standing on a chair. However, it had been many years since I last touched it, and it was stuck.
People nearby were shocked by the fire and didn't know what to do. My mind was also blank, and I couldn't think of anything. Then the old lady who lived next door came over and shouted my name. “Are you stuck? Go ahead and shut down the gas valve!” I suddenly woke up. I hurried to pull on the handle, and this time I succeeded! The fire completely ceased. People who had witnessed the big explosion expressed their surprise as they left my apartment.
After 1 p.m., personnel from the gas company came to do repairs. They found pieces of the gas meter in every room of the apartment, as well as on the balcony, which verified that the explosion had been very big. However, what was surprising was that nothing was destroyed, except one small window in the kitchen. In addition, the big explosion did not cause more gas meters to explode, which really surprised the technicians.
In the end, the gas company said that they were used to paying out a lot for losses resulting from such an explosion. Even though they saw that I had not lost anything, they offered to compensate me for my trouble and pay whatever I requested. They also asked me to go to a hospital for a checkup, saying they would pay for the medical expenses no matter the cost.
I told them that I had not lost anything and was not injured, so I would not request any compensation. They then asked the manager of logistics at my workplace to suggest how I should be compensated. However, I still refused to accept anything.
When the word spread that I had turned down compensation, many people said they couldn't understand why I had refused something that was free. They said that I was silly. A family friend even told my husband to request some compensation on my behalf. My workplace also urged me to reconsider.
However, I refused. I told them that it wasn't right to take advantage of the gas company. In order to help the gas company close the case, I finally requested some disinfectant and asked them to pay for it.
After this incident, employees at my workplace, as well as the Residential Committee, never again complained of being affected by my practicing Falun Gong. The management also changed their attitude. Not a single person or department has asked me to write anything to slander Falun Gong or renounce my belief since then. My cultivation environment became peaceful.
In 2008, I was reported to police for being a practitioner. Police came to my workplace to investigate. My colleagues and company leaders all said good things about me.
My cultivation level and writing skills are very limited. Please point out anything inappropriate.
