A mahjong parlour owner in central China paid compensation of 19,000 yuan (US$2,800) following a failed first aid attempt on an elderly customer but received a refund after government intervention.

On August 17, a man in his 60s, surnamed Luo, visited the mahjong parlour in Hunan province and passed out while resting in a chair.

The shop’s owner, Xiao Aihua, sensed something was wrong with Luo and approached to administer first aid.

Believing that Luo had suffered from heatstroke, she dragged him a few steps outside to provide him with fresh air.

In her panic, Xiao struggled to dial emergency numbers, prompting a neighbour to call an ambulance, which arrived within 10 minutes. A witness reported that Luo was still alive when the ambulance picked him up, but regrettably, he died later.