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Xinlu Liang

Twenty-eight people died following a massive fire in a shoe factory in China’s eastern Fujian province on Thursday, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out effort to rescue and treat the victims, and investigate.
The blaze was reported at 12.04pm at the Huiteng Shoes factory on Kaituo Road East in the village of Jiangtou in Chendai township, Jinjiang.
Fire authorities in the city of Quanzhou sent emergency crews, including 35 fire engines, to the scene, state broadcaster CCTV reported, and by late Thursday afternoon the fire had been brought under control.
Over 500 firefighters ultimately joined the rescue mission, according to Xinhua. Some 213 people were evacuated from the building, two of whom died in hospital; 26 others who were initially reported missing were later confirmed dead.
Police have detained the company’s owner and several others suspected of bearing responsibility for the fire, Xinhua said.

Video footage circulating on social media showed towering flames and thick black smoke billowing from the building, with several people trapped on the rooftop signalling for help. Witnesses reported seeing a helicopter deployed for rescue operations.
Xi ordered “all-out efforts” to rescue the trapped, treat the injured and properly handle follow-up care and family consolation, while demanding “a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and for those responsible to be held accountable”, according to Xinhua.
Noting that China had had multiple major production safety accidents this year, Xi urged regions and relevant departments across the country to learn from the tragedies, conduct thorough inspections to eliminate hidden risks and prevent major accidents to safeguard public life and property.
“All regions and relevant departments must deeply learn from these lessons, better coordinate development and safety, and always keep a tight string on production safety,” he was quoted as saying.
Premier Li Qiang also issued a directive, calling for immediate search and rescue operations, aftermath management and measures to prevent secondary disasters.
Li urged the State Council’s Work Safety Committee to guide and supervise local authorities to improve “bottom-line and extreme-scenario thinking” and safety responsibilities to prevent such a catastrophic incident from recurring.


China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, which has coordinated rescue efforts, also ordered that all-out efforts be made to contain the fire and for the number of personnel involved to be verified quickly, according to a ministry statement.
A joint task force from the ministry and the National Fire and Rescue Administration has been sent to Jinjiang to guide rescue operations.
Chendai is the heart of Jinjiang’s massive footwear industry. Chendai producers make more than 1 billion pairs of sports shoes annually, and Jinjiang accounts for about one in every five pairs of athletic shoes produced worldwide.


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China

Politics

President Xi Jinping demands ‘a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and for those responsible to be held accountable’


President Xi Jinping demands ‘a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and for those responsible to be held accountable’.


China manufacturing

Li Qiang

Xi Jinping

28 killed in factory blaze in the heart of Chinese shoe manufacturing hub

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}President Xi Jinping demands ‘a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and for those responsible to be held accountable’

President Xi Jinping demands ‘a swift inquiry into the cause of the fire and for those responsible to be held accountable’