In southeastern China, in Fujian province, one of the largest fires of recent years occurred. The blaze erupted on July 9 at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang city and claimed the lives of 28 people, reports Associated Press.

According to official data, at the time of the fire, 239 people were in the five-story building — 237 workers and two visitors. 213 people were rescued. Two injured people died in the hospital, and another 26 people, who were initially considered missing, were later found deceased.
The fire started on the first floor of the building, where the production workshop and warehouse were located. The fire was fueled by a large quantity of flammable materials used in shoe production. Additionally, materials for soles were stored in the stairwells, which significantly complicated the firefighters' work and slowed down the extinguishing process.
183 rescuers and 35 units of equipment were dispatched to extinguish the fire. The open blaze was extinguished in approximately four hours, and a total of over 500 people participated in the search and rescue operation.
The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established. The factory owner and other responsible individuals have been detained, and the company's accounts have been frozen pending investigation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping demanded that everything possible be done to rescue people, to determine the causes of the tragedy as quickly as possible, and to hold those responsible accountable.
The tragedy once again drew attention to labor safety issues in China. Despite increased control, industrial accidents continue to occur there. According to official statistics, in 2025, about 20,000 industrial accidents occurred in the country, in which over 18,000 people died.
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