The blaze that consumed the high-rise Mandarin Oriental hotel last night in the new CCTV complex has the internet abuzz. If you didn’t hear news about the fire, click here or here or here.

The hotel is part of the extraordinary new China Central Television complex that has inextricably changed the skyline of modern Beijing. The main building comprises two towers leaning in toward each other with a cantilevered cross-section. In an earlier story, I said it looked like two drunks embracing at the shoulders.

That building, which is not yet completed, has many nicknames. Among them: “short pants” and “twisted doughnut.” Thankfully, it did not catch fire.

The 44-story building that burned is next door, and looks like a shapely boot. Indeed, some people call it “the boot.” It was to house a Mandarin Oriental hotel and a cultural center for CCTV. The hotel was not yet officially open.

Beijing sounded like a war zone when the fire broke out because of all the fireworks and roman candles going off to mark the Lantern Festival, the last day of the Lunar New Year. Speculation that the fireworks set off the blaze is rampant.

Here are some internet remarks about the fire culled from various English and Chinese language blogs. From the always-interesting ChinaSmack blog:

“Allow people to use more firecrackers and there’ll be more fires around!!” – Batman

“It doesn’t make sense. How can fireworks set concrete, glass, and metal on fire like that? In order for fireworks to stick to, I’m assuming, a mostly concrete and glass building it’d have to be mixed with some kind of an adhesive.” – Name

“So many things happening…could it be yet another eventful year?” – Tianya website

“CCTV has money. The building could be rebuilt. No worries.” – anying_ay, 163.com

Thousands of people rushed to the scene of the blaze once they heard the news. At about 11:30 p.m., I was among hundreds milling about near the Kerry Center, across the Third Ring Road from the blaze. Among those who rushed there, then blogged and posted photos, was Pan Shiyi, the colorful entrepreneur behind the Soho office and apartment developments that are just a few blocks away. I’m sure the fire had him thinking about his fire insurance policies.

“In such a big city like Beijing, fireworks should not be allowed any more.” – Pan Shiyi.

Also from Tianya:

“I am curious about it. Why did not they apply high-tech fire extinction? Beijing should have complete and sound facilities. How did they handle with the Olympic but can not control a fire on a building?” – visitor2981472

“Oh my, such a big fire! It reminds me of 9/11 broadcast on TV.” – byzhouyang

One smarty pants made light of CCTV’s propensity to host extravaganza shows at Lunar New Year, suggesting that it was part of a show:

“It must be the most attractive program of CCTV in the new year.” – on 163.com with no name

In fact, the local media appeared to be instructed to give very muted coverage to the fire, the biggest blaze in China’s capital in many years.

The Beijing Morning News had only a tiny front-page headline with no photo. One main CCTV newscast had an anchor only read a brief news report this morning, with no footage.

An internet user on the Peking University message board said this:

"A bulletin board I often visit just received a notice: Regarding reports related to the CCTV fire, please use news agency reports. Do not publish photos and videos. Do not do deep reports. Place the reports in the domestic news area. Monitor comments closely, and do not let the blogs talkthis incident to the top." -- Asuka.