The fire broke out at a four-story building belonging to the Yongju Coal Company in Luliang City, Shanxi Province, at around 6:50 a.m. local time, Chinese state media reported, citing local authorities. Xinhua reported that 26 people were confirmed dead.
Image of the fire scene. Photo: Weibo
Earlier, state broadcaster CCTV said 63 people had been evacuated, 51 of whom had been hospitalized. CCTV reported that the fire was “under control” and its cause was still under investigation.
The station also said that an unspecified number of people were being detained by police and were being investigated in connection with the fire. Video posted on social media site Weibo showed bright flames and thick black smoke rising from the building.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is in the US for the APEC Summit, said there was an “extremely profound lesson” to be learned from the fire. He said local authorities must “conduct serious investigations into potential risks in key industries, improve emergency plans and preventive measures.”
Last month, an explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwestern China killed 31 people and prompted the government to make formal pledges for a nationwide campaign to promote workplace safety.
In April, a hospital fire in Beijing killed 29 people. Meanwhile, one of China’s worst fires occurred in 2015 in Tianjin, where a chemical warehouse explosion killed at least 165 people.
Huy Hoang (according to Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, AFP)
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