BEIJING, China – A fire at a shoe manufacturing factory in southeastern China’s Fujian province killed 28 people on Thursday, prompting a large-scale rescue operation and an official investigation into one of the country’s deadliest industrial blazes in recent years.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “an all-out search and rescue effort” and ordered authorities to swiftly determine the cause of the fire while ensuring those responsible are “strictly held accountable.”
The blaze erupted at a factory operated by Huiteng Shoe Company in the city of Jinjiang, according to the local fire department. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Jinjiang is one of China’s largest manufacturing centers for athletic footwear.
Rescue operation ends with 28 confirmed fatalities
Authorities said 239 people — including 237 factory workers and two visitors — were inside the five-story concrete building when the fire broke out.
Emergency responders rescued 213 people from the building. Two later died in hospital, while another 26 people initially listed as missing were subsequently confirmed dead, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
CCTV reported that firefighters extinguished the blaze after about four hours. The operation involved 183 firefighters, 35 emergency vehicles and, according to Xinhua News Agency, more than 500 personnel participating in rescue and recovery efforts.
Flammable materials fueled rapid spread
Officials said the fire began on the building’s ground floor, where production workshops and warehouse facilities were located.
CCTV reported that highly flammable shoe manufacturing materials accelerated the spread of the flames through multiple floors of the factory.
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A local fire department official told the broadcaster that large quantities of sole materials stacked in stairwells significantly hindered firefighters’ access, making rescue efforts more difficult.
Video aired by CCTV showed the building’s exterior blackened by smoke, with thick plumes continuing to rise after the fire was brought under control.
Authorities detain factory management
Xinhua reported that the factory owner and other individuals responsible for the company’s operations have been taken into custody as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Authorities have also frozen the company’s financial accounts as part of the investigation.
No official findings on the cause of the blaze had been released as of Thursday.
Workplace safety remains under scrutiny
The tragedy has renewed attention on industrial safety in China, where workplace accidents continue despite repeated government campaigns to improve safety standards.
In May, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Changsha, Hunan province, killed at least 37 people. In 2024, a fire at a refrigeration facility under construction in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, claimed 39 lives.
Chinese authorities have repeatedly ordered businesses to identify and eliminate workplace hazards. Official statistics show that 18,261 people died in nearly 20,000 workplace accidents nationwide in 2025, representing a decline from the previous year.
The latest disaster is expected to intensify scrutiny of factory safety practices as investigators work to determine what caused the fatal fire in Jinjiang.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
Article Topics: China | Factory Fire | Fujian | Workplace Safety | Industrial Accident | Jinjiang | Emergency Response | Manufacturing
