A major fire at a shoe factory in the eastern Chinese city of Jinjiang has caused significant loss of life, President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday. The blaze broke out at midday, trapping an unknown number of victims as thick black smoke engulfed the building.
The fire reportedly started on the first floor of the facility, where highly flammable shoe materials were stored, sending several people fleeing to the roof of the burning structure where they became trapped. Nearly 200 firefighters and dozens of vehicles were deployed to the site, largely extinguishing the main flames by 5:40 p.m. local time.
Premier Li Qiang and President Xi have ordered comprehensive search and rescue operations, while China's Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched a specialized team to oversee the response.