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A devastating fire broke out in the southwestern Chinese city of Zigong on Wednesday evening, claiming at least 16 lives. State-run media reported that firefighters and rescuers responded to the emergency call shortly after 6 pm at a 14-story commercial building, managing to pull 75 people to safety.
Social media posts captured dramatic scenes of thick black smoke billowing from the lower levels of the building, engulfing the entire structure. Huge flames were visible as firefighters battled the inferno with water sprays. Local media reported that several drones were also deployed to assist in the firefighting efforts.
A MASSIVE fire in China leaves 8 dead and many trapped in a Zigong shopping mall.
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) July 17, 2024
More confirmation of Hanke’s School Boy’s Theory of History: It’s just one damn thing after another.pic.twitter.com/7OCuGbnNKZ
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was triggered by construction operations. However, a detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause. Nearly 300 emergency workers and dozens of vehicles were dispatched to the scene. Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze by 8:20 pm local time.
Fire hazards and deadly incidents are alarmingly common in China. Li Wanfeng, spokesperson for the National Fire and Rescue Administration, revealed that 947 fire fatalities were reported in the first several months of this year, marking a 19 percent increase from the previous year. Fires in public places such as hotels and restaurants rose by 40 percent, with the most common causes being malfunctioning electrical or gas lines and carelessness.
In January, a massive fire in Jiangxi Province killed at least 39 people due to unauthorised welding. The fire broke out in a street shop in the Yushui district of Xinyu. In the aftermath, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered measures to prevent such accidents and protect people's lives and property.
Just days before the Zigong fire, a blaze in a school dormitory in Henan province killed at least 13 third-grade students. In February, a fire in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, resulted in 15 deaths and 44 injuries.
In November last year, a fire in an office building in Luliang city, Shanxi province, claimed 26 lives. In April, a hospital fire in Beijing killed at least 29 people, mostly patients, leading to an investigation and the detention of 12 individuals for questioning.
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