A devastating fire at a shoe factory in eastern China has claimed the lives of at least 28 people, state media reported on Thursday.
The blaze erupted at approximately noon at Huiteng Shoes factory located in Jinjiang city, within Fujian province. Following the incident, President Xi Jinping said the fire had caused “heavy human losses” and issued an urgent call for intensified search and rescue operations.
Footage broadcast by state television CCTV depicted a charred, multi-storey white building with thick clouds of black and grey smoke pouring from shattered windows as fire crews used hoses to combat the flames.
During the height of the inferno, several individuals were observed seeking refuge on the roof and near windows while the fire consumed lower floors. The Ministry of Emergency Management confirmed it had deployed 183 personnel and 35 vehicles to the scene.
The ministry stressed that “all-out” efforts were required to locate survivors trapped in the building and to provide medical treatment to the injured. Xinhua reported that some people remained “out of contact” hours after the fire began.
In response to the tragedy, President Xi demanded that the cause of the accident be identified as soon as possible and insisted that those responsible must be strictly held accountable.
