Migrant's lonely death under a bridge

A migrant worker, who was found dead under an overpass in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, had refused help from passersby and medical workers who had checked on his well-being during the 20 days he was known to have been lying there, according to a report by local health authorities Sunday.

The Zhengzhou-based Henan Business Daily quoted passersby as saying the man had not moved from under the overpass for some 20 days and emergency medical services had attended to the man twice. The man had been seen living under the bridge for a month.

A bus driver surnamed Song was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the first time medical staff was called they left after discovering the man had neither family nor money. They gave about 20 yuan ($3.21) to buy food the second time they attended to the man.

Song said she called the local homeless shelter but they didn't arrive on the scene until the day the man was found dead.

Staff at the shelter told dahe.cn they received the call about the man under the overpass on Friday, but when they arrived, he had already been declared dead by medical workers.

The newspaper's report differs from a statement by the city's health bureau, which confirmed that two related emergency calls were received in October and November.

The city's emergency medical center said it received the first call on November 22 about a migrant worker living under the overpass who needed medical help. The on-site diagnosis showed that the man had normal vital signs but was weak because he had not had a regular meal in two days.

The health bureau said the man, who identified himself as Liu Hongwei, was 30 years old and had no known illness.

Emergency medical staff tried to persuade Liu to go to the hospital, but he turned them down. The staffer then told passersby who were familiar with Liu to call again if Liu's condition worsened.

The second call came on Friday and medical personnel found Liu unconscious with no vital signs.

"What we said in the statement was true," a media officer surnamed Xu with the rescue center told the Global Times, adding that seeking medical treatment is an individual's choice.

The cause of Liu's death remains unknown.