China Shoe Factory Fire Kills 28 in Fujian Province

A devastating fire tore through a shoe factory in southeastern China on Thursday, killing 28 people in one of the country's deadliest industrial accidents in recent years, state media reported.

The blaze broke out at the Huiteng shoe company factory in the city of Jinjiang, in China's Fujian province. Jinjiang is widely known as China's shoe capital, hosting hundreds of footwear manufacturers that supply global brands.

Details of the Disaster

There were 237 factory workers and two visitors inside the building when the fire erupted. Authorities managed to evacuate or rescue 213 people. Of the 28 who died, two were pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Video footage broadcast by CCTV showed the building's facade charred black and engulfed in white smoke. Earlier footage captured fires burning simultaneously on multiple floors, with thick black smoke billowing from the structure. The exact cause of the fire had not been determined as of Thursday evening.

Government Response

Chinese President Xi Jinping swiftly responded, demanding "an all-out search and rescue effort" and calling for a swift investigation to "strictly hold those responsible accountable," according to official state media.

In the wake of the disaster, authorities arrested the factory's owner and other managers. The company's bank accounts have also been frozen as part of the investigation.

The city's fire department confirmed the fire in an official statement, while China's national emergency response teams were dispatched to the site. Local government officials pledged full transparency in probing the circumstances of the fire.

Context

Industrial fires remain a serious challenge in China despite decades of tightening safety regulations. The country's manufacturing sector, which employs tens of millions of workers, has faced repeated scrutiny over workplace safety standards.

Jinjiang alone is home to thousands of factories, and the disaster raises fresh questions about enforcement of fire safety codes in densely packed industrial zones. The city produces a significant share of the world's athletic and casual footwear.

Investigations into the structural conditions of the building, the effectiveness of fire suppression systems, and whether workers had adequate escape routes are expected to be central to the official inquiry.