A fire broke out on Thursday around noon at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, located in the southeastern Chinese province of Fujian. State media footage showed thick black smoke pouring out of a large, multi-story white building as firefighters worked to douse the facade and interior.
The Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched 183 personnel and 35 vehicles to the scene, while hundreds of rescue workers were sent to assist. At least a dozen people appeared to be trapped on the building's roof, with others remaining inside hours after the blaze began.
While the exact number of dead or injured remains unknown, significant casualties are feared. President Xi Jinping stated that the fire resulted in heavy human losses and called for increased search and rescue efforts. Beijing has demanded an all-out effort to extinguish the blaze, treat the injured, and search for survivors.