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28 killed in a shoe factory fire in southern China
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- A fire at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian province, China, killed 28 people, with 26 confirmed dead after being missing and two dying in hospital.
- The fire began on the first floor of the five-story building, spreading quickly due to highly flammable shoe components and obstructed stairwells filled with sole material.
- Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out search and rescue effort, a swift investigation, and accountability for those responsible; the factory owner and others have been detained, and the company's accounts frozen.
- Firefighters deployed 183 personnel and 35 vehicles, extinguishing the flames after about four hours, with more than 500 people involved in the rescue and search operations.
- Workplace safety remains a significant issue in China, with recent deadly incidents including a fireworks plant explosion and a refrigeration facility fire; official data show a slight decrease in workplace accident deaths in 2025 compared to the previous year.
