A deadly fire at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian province, China, has killed at least 28 people. The incident happened at the Huiteng Footwear factory on Thursday afternoon.
Jinjiang is known as China’s shoe capital because the city produces a large share of the world’s sports footwear. Reports suggest that factories in the region manufacture around 20% of global sports shoes.
Fire Breaks Out at Huiteng Footwear Factory
The fire started at around noon local time. Thick black smoke quickly covered the factory building as flames spread through the facility.
Videos shared by Chinese state media showed large clouds of smoke rising from the factory. Some workers appeared trapped on the roof while emergency teams rushed to rescue them.
Authorities sent more than 500 firefighters and rescue workers to control the blaze and save people inside the building.
Officials reported that around 240 people were present at the factory when the fire started.
Rescue Operation Finds Dozens of Victims
Emergency teams evacuated 213 people from the building. Two people later died in hospital due to their injuries.
Authorities initially reported 26 missing workers. Rescue teams later found them dead inside the factory, bringing the total death toll to at least 28.
Officials have not confirmed the exact number of injured people.
Initial investigations suggest that the fire may have started on the ground floor, where the factory stored flammable materials.
China Launches Investigation Into Factory Fire
Chinese authorities have detained several people connected to the factory owners as part of the investigation. Officials also froze the company’s bank account while they continue examining the cause of the fire.
President Xi Jinping called the incident a major tragedy. He said officials must hold responsible people accountable and take stronger steps to improve workplace safety.
Xi also urged authorities to learn from recent industrial accidents and introduce stricter safety measures across the country.
Safety Concerns After Deadly Fires
The latest factory fire has raised concerns about safety standards in industrial buildings across China.
Authorities have increased fire prevention efforts after a major residential fire in Hong Kong killed 168 people in November.
The Jinjiang factory tragedy has renewed calls for better safety checks, stronger emergency systems, and improved protection for workers in factories.
