E-Paper
At least 28 killed in China shoe factory fire, over 200 rescued, says report
As flames engulfed the multi-storey building, workers were trapped on the rooftop.
At least 28 people have reportedly been killed in China after a fire broke out at a shoe factory in Jinjiang in southeastern part of the country on Thursday.
As flames engulfed the multi-storey building, workers were trapped on the rooftop, state news agency Xinhua reported, adding that 239 people were inside the factory when it went up in flames.
Rescue teams managed to evacuate 213 people, with two of them dying during treatment at a hospital. Another 26 people previously reported missing at the scene were confirmed dead, the report added.
Videos released by state media in the afternoon showed flames massive flames emanating from the building with thick black smoke rising in the sky. Some people. apparently trapped by the blaze, could be seen on the rooftop surrounded by smoke.
HT could not independently verify the veracity of the visuals
Responding to the crisis created by the massive blaze, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued instructions urging an all-out rescue effort and said that the fire had "caused significant casualties". He said the incident came after a number of deadly accidents at production facilities in the country in recent months. Xi called on authorities to hold those responsible strictly accountable.
Firefighting and rescue efforts were still under way, although open flames had largely been extinguished by about 4 p.m. (0800 GMT), a local firefighting official told state broadcaster CCTV. Thick smoke could still be seen rising from the site, with multiple fire engines continuing to spray water by early Thursday evening, Xinhua said.
Jinjiang is situated in the coastal Fujian province and is known as China's shoe capital given its huge share in footwear and clothing manufacturing.
Officials sited by local reports said that preliminary findings indicate that the fire started on the ground floor of the factory. Shoe-making materials stored in the building were highly flammable and could cause a blaze to spread rapidly, the official said.
Due to the materials and adhesives present, the smell at the scene was pungent, causing eye irritation, CCTV said. Large amounts of items had also been piled up in the stairwells, hampering rescue and firefighting efforts, the state broadcaster quoted firefighters as saying.
People in charge of the company and "other relevant personnel" have been taken into custody, with the company's bank accounts frozen, Xinhua said.
With inputs from Reuters
