A fire at a factory in China claimed the lives of 28 people
In the Chinese city of Jinjiang, 28 people died as a result of a massive fire at the Huiteng shoe factory. Following the tragedy, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered that rescue efforts be stepped up, the cause of the fire be investigated, and those responsible be held accountable.
Twenty-eight people died in a fire at a shoe factory in eastern China, according to Xinhua.
According to the report, 28 people died in a fire that broke out on Thursday at a shoe factory in Jiangtou Village, Chengdai Township, which is administratively under the jurisdiction of Jinjiang City in Fujian Province.
As Reuters notes, the flames engulfed the multi-story building, trapping workers on the roof.
The fire broke out around noon local time (7:00 a.m. Kyiv time) at the Huiteng shoe factory.
According to official reports, 239 people were inside the factory at the time of the fire; 213 were evacuated, and two of them died after being hospitalized. Another 26 people, who were previously considered missing, have been confirmed dead.
Videos published by state media showed flames engulfing the building as thick black smoke rose into the sky. About a dozen people were trapped on the smoke-filled roof of the building.
Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a large-scale rescue operation. He stated that the fire “caused significant casualties” and occurred following a series of fatal accidents at industrial facilities across the country in recent months. He also called for those responsible to be held strictly accountable.
WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
At least 28 people were killed in a fire at a shoe factory in southeastern China, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported, after flames engulfed the multi-story building, trapping workers on the rooftop https://t.co/hpcXrrxoy0 pic.twitter.com/1v7rPR0lAH— Reuters (@Reuters) July 10, 2026
Firefighting and rescue efforts continued, although the open flames had largely been extinguished by around 4:00 p.m. (11:00 a.m. Kyiv time), a local fire department representative told state broadcaster CCTV. Thick smoke continued to rise from the scene, and firefighters continued to douse the building with water.
Jinjiang, in Fujian Province, is one of the largest centers for footwear and apparel production and is often referred to as China’s “shoe capital.”
Preliminary investigation findings indicate that the fire started on the first floor of the factory. Flammable materials used in shoe production may have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
Company executives and “other relevant personnel” have been taken into custody, and the company’s bank accounts have been frozen.
According to official data, Jinjiang’s footwear industry produced more than 1.2 billion pairs of shoes in 2024, accounting for about 20% of global production.
Source: Reuters
As a reminder, wildfires in Spain have claimed the lives of at least 12 people.
