A devastating fire at a building in Xinyu city in eastern China claimed the lives of at least 39 people and injured nine others on Wednesday. While some others are still trapped inside.Official media reports, including those from the state-run Xinhua news agency, confirmed the grim toll. Several videos circulating online show the blaze ripping through the structure at the street shop in the city. It also showed dense smoke billowing from the building as emergency crews frantically worked to control the inferno.On the afternoon of January 24, at least 39 people were killed and 9 injured in a fire at a building in Xinyu City, Jiangxi Province, China.The building in question houses internet cafes and training institutions.The longer video below shows several students escaping by… pic.twitter.com/EbNvzYe6LM— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng 曾錚真言 (@jenniferzeng97) January 24, 2024Chinas state broadcaster CCTV reported, At 3:24 pm (0724 GMT) on January 24, a fire broke out on the below-ground level at a store... in Xinyu, Jiangxi.Furthermore, it added, Up until now, the accident has resulted in the deaths of 39 people, injuries to nine people, and others are still trapped.Adding to the tragedy, the building reportedly housed internet cafes and training institutions, raising concerns about potential vulnerabilities for occupants fleeing the fire. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.XI Jinping respondsChinese President Xi Jinping has responded to the disaster with urgency, instructing immediate action to prevent similar tragedies and prioritising the protection of lives and property.Previous accidents in ChinaEarlier in December, 13 students were tragically killed in a dormitory fire in Henan province. In November 2023, an office building fire in Shanxi claimed 26 lives. And last April, a Beijing hospital fire took the lives of at least 29 people, primarily patients, prompting a police investigation where 12 people were detained by police for questioning.
