BEIJING: At least 28 people were killed after a devastating fire swept through a shoe factory in eastern China on Thursday, prompting a massive emergency response involving more than 500 firefighters and rescue personnel battling to contain the blaze, state media reported.
The fire broke out around noon (0400 GMT) at the Huiteng Shoes factory in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, with authorities warning that several people were believed to be trapped inside the building hours after the blaze erupted.
Chinese President Xi Jinping described the incident as having caused “heavy human losses,” while state news agency Xinhua reported a preliminary death toll of at least 28 people.
Footage broadcast by state-run China Central Television (CCTV) showed firefighters battling the flames by directing water at the multi-storey factory building as thick black smoke poured from shattered windows.
The footage also showed people seeking refuge near windows and on the rooftop while the fire engulfed the lower floors. More than 500 firefighters and emergency responders were deployed to the scene as rescue and firefighting operations continued.
“The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and… those responsible must be strictly held accountable,” Xi said, in remarks carried by Xinhua.
Authorities have detained the factory owner and several other individuals in connection with the incident, while the company’s bank accounts have been frozen, according to state news agency Xinhua.
Jinjiang, where the factory is located, is one of China’s leading footwear manufacturing hubs and a major global centre for athletic shoe production, the state-run Global Times reported.
City Fire Chief Du Zhenzhou said rescue operations were hampered because stairwells and emergency exits were blocked by stored shoe materials, making it difficult for firefighters to reach the upper floors of the building.
He added that adhesives and other combustible materials used in shoe manufacturing intensified the blaze.
China’s Ministry of Emergency Management said firefighting operations were continuing and called for “all-out” efforts to extinguish the fire, rescue those trapped inside, and provide medical treatment to the injured.
State broadcaster CCTV reported that 237 factory workers and two delivery personnel were at the site when the fire broke out. It said 213 people had been evacuated, although it was not immediately clear how those figures aligned with the reported death toll.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, President Xi Jinping noted that China had witnessed several major industrial safety accidents this year and called for stronger safety enforcement.
“All regions and relevant departments must draw profound lessons from these incidents,” Xi said, urging authorities to implement rigorous and effective safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
The latest fire comes amid heightened concerns over industrial and fire safety in China. In November, the country launched a nationwide campaign to address fire hazards in high-rise buildings following a massive blaze in Hong Kong that claimed 168 lives.
The following month, a residential building fire in Guangdong Province killed 12 people. In May, an explosion at a fireworks factory in central China left 37 people dead, making it one of the country’s deadliest industrial accidents in recent years.
