At least 28 people were killed in a major fire at a shoe factory in Fujian Province, located in southeastern China. This was reported by the country's Xinhua news agency.
According to reports, the tragedy occurred around 12:00 local time on July 9 at the "Huiteng" shoe manufacturing enterprise in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province. The fire engulfed a multi-story production building in a short time, leaving a group of workers trapped on the roof.
According to official data, there were 239 employees inside the factory at the time of the fire. Of these, 213 were evacuated to a safe area. Two victims who were hospitalized later died. The bodies of another 26 people, previously presumed missing, were found during rescue operations.
The report states that Chinese President Xi Jinping immediately ordered large-scale rescue operations following the incident. Recalling a series of disastrous accidents at production enterprises in the country in recent months, he emphasized that this fire had also caused significant losses and demanded that those responsible be held strictly accountable under the law.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started on the first floor of the factory. Authorities stated that due to the high flammability of the raw materials and materials used in shoe production, the flames spread very quickly.
Additionally, according to CCTV, adhesive substances and other chemical agents stored at the enterprise emitted a pungent odor, complicating the work of rescuers. Furthermore, the accumulation of various items on stairways seriously hindered evacuation and firefighting efforts.
Currently, the company's management and other responsible individuals have been detained. The enterprise's bank accounts have been frozen, and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
For reference, Jinjiang City is considered one of China's largest shoe and apparel manufacturing centers. It is often referred to as the country's "shoe capital."
According to official data, thousands of enterprises in the city produced over 1.2 billion pairs of shoes in 2024, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the global total production volume.
