Fujian Shoe Factory Fire Kills 28 as 239 People Were Inside

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 10

At least 28 people died after a fire tore through Huiteng Shoes in Jinjiang, Fujian, with 213 people pulled from the building and two later dying in hospital.
237 workers and two visitors were inside when the blaze broke out around noon; 26 people initially listed as missing were later confirmed dead.
More than 180 firefighters and 35 emergency vehicles were sent in, but flammable shoe-making materials—apparently ignited after the fire began on the ground floor—helped it spread quickly.
Xi Jinping ordered a swift investigation and strict accountability, while the emergency ministry demanded an all-out rescue and treatment effort.
The disaster adds to China's long-running industrial safety problem: the country logged more than 13,400 workplace accidents and 12,804 deaths in the first three quarters of 2024.