Beijing: A deadly fire at a shoe factory in eastern China on Thursday resulted in “heavy human losses”, President Xi Jinping said, as dozens of fire and rescue personnel scrambled to put out the blaze.
The fire broke out at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang city, Fujian province, around noon, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.
With people still trapped within hours of the fire starting, fire and rescue teams sent 183 people and 35 vehicles to the scene, the ministry added.
The fire had caused casualties, he said, without giving details of how many people were injured or killed.
Xi, in comments carried by the state-run Xinhua news agency, said there were “heavy casualties,” without giving a specific number.
Live footage broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV showed fire engines dousing a burning multi-storey building with water as thick gray smoke billowed from broken windows.
“No effort should be spared in search and rescue operations” and in supporting affected families, Xi said, according to Xinhua.
“The cause of the accident must be identified as soon as possible and… those responsible must be held strictly accountable,” he added.
The fire was being extinguished, the emergency management ministry said, calling for “all-out” efforts to put it out, search for trapped survivors and treat the injured.
Some people were stranded and “out of touch,” Xinhua said.
China launched a campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings in November after a massive fire engulfed several tower blocks in Hong Kong, killing 168 people.
A month later, a fire at a residential building in southern China’s Guangdong province killed 12 people.
