China: A massive fire broke out at a shoe factory in Xinjiang, China, killing 28 people. The Ministry of Emergency Management has sent a joint task force to Xinjiang in east China’s Fujian Province to guide rescue and relief operations.
The fire broke out at around 12 noon, the ministry said. Chinese President Xi Jinping has instructed officials to make every effort in search and rescue operations to investigate the cause of the incident and hold those responsible accountable.
Xi Jinping said the cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and those responsible should be severely punished. The fire is raging on the lower floors of the building. Meanwhile, people can be seen running for their lives near the windows and on the roof of the building.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations said all efforts were being made to put out the fire, search for trapped people and treat the injured.
Rescue operations were underway, Xinhua reported. China launched a campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings after a massive fire in several tower blocks in Hong Kong in November 2025 killed 168 people.
Just a month later, a fire in a residential building in southern China’s Guangdong province killed 12 people. Now a massive fire has broken out at a shoe factory.