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Factory Blaze in China’s ‘Shoe Capital’ Kills 28
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- A fire at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian province, China, killed at least 28 people and prompted an urgent response from President Xi Jinping, who called for rescue efforts, investigation, and accountability.
- The fire occurred at a factory owned by Fujian Huiteng Shoes, with 239 people present; 213 were evacuated, while some were trapped on the roof before the fire was mostly extinguished by evening.
- President Xi's swift public statement signals a high-level commitment to disaster response and worker safety, amid a year marked by multiple deadly workplace accidents in China.
- The company’s leader has been detained and its accounts frozen as part of the investigation into the fire’s cause.
- This incident follows other recent major industrial disasters in China, including a coal mine explosion in May that killed 82 and a fireworks factory blast that killed 26, highlighting ongoing safety challenges despite tightened regulations.
