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