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The fire was reported to have broken out at the factory of Huiteng Shoes Co., Ltd. in Jiangtou Village, Chendai Township, at noon on Thursday, according to local authorities.<\/p>\n
State media also reported that nearly 240 people were at the factory when the fire broke out.<\/p>\n
Local authorities said a total of 213 people were evacuated, but two of them died despite being treated in hospital, whilst 26 previously missing persons were confirmed dead.<\/p>\n
The city of Jinjiang in Fujian province has reportedly earned a reputation as China’s “shoe capital”, accounting for an estimated 20% of global sports shoe production.<\/p>\n
Initial reports shared with the BBC<\/em> suggest the fire may have started on the factory’s ground floor, where flammable materials were stored.<\/p>\n The UK news site said that authorities have reportedly detained several people who work for the factory’s owners, and that the firm’s bank account has been frozen.<\/p>\n President Xi Jinping told the BBC the blaze had caused “major casualties,” adding that those responsible must be held “strictly accountable”.<\/p>\n Xi said Chinese officials must draw “profound lessons” from “several major industrial safety accidents” in the country this year and stated that “rigorous and effective safety measures” must be implemented.<\/p>\n In 2022, he urged safety checks after a garment factory fire in China’s Henan province resulted in the death of 38 people.<\/a><\/p>\n “Fire kills 28 workers in China shoe factory” was originally created and published by Just Style<\/a>, a GlobalData owned brand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n