A major fire broke out at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian province, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, trapping many employees inside the facility.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management deployed approximately 200 rescue workers to the scene, mobilizing dozens of emergency vehicles to pour water onto the burning multi-story structure.
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Plumes of dark smoke continued to billow into the air as firefighters battled the blaze.
President Xi Jinping Expresses Grave Concern
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed grave concern over the incident through state media reports, predicting "heavy human losses."
"No effort must be spared in search and rescue operations and in supporting the families," Xi added, emphasizing the urgency of the ongoing emergency response and assistance for affected families at the Jinjiang site.
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The Ministry of Emergency Management confirmed that casualties occurred during the blaze and mandated an immediate investigation into the safety disaster.
"Simultaneously, the cause of the fire must be investigated, lessons learned, and effective measures taken to prevent similar accidents from recurring," the ministry stated.
The tragedy follows a renewed safety campaign launched in November to enforce stricter fire codes across high-rise buildings and factories, initiated after a fire in Hong Kong claimed 168 lives.
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A month later, another fatal fire inside a residential building in Guangdong province killed 12 people.
