28 Dead in Fujian Shoe Factory Fire, Company Officials Held

A fire at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian Province, has killed 28 people, state media reported on Thursday.

The blaze broke out at about 12:04pm on July 9 at Huiteng Shoes Co in Jiangtou Village, Chendai Town, according to local fire authorities and state media reports. The factory is located at No. 1 East Kaitu Road in Jinjiang, a major footwear manufacturing hub under Quanzhou.

Firefighters dispatched 183 rescuers and 35 vehicles to the scene, CCTV reported. Open flames had been put out later in the day, but authorities said the cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Rescuers said the building's stairways were filled with large amounts of clutter, including shoe-sole materials, which slowed firefighting and obstructed rescue work, according to Shanghai Observer and Beijing News reports. The factory also contained large amounts of shoemaking materials when the fire broke out.

A rescuer quoted by Beijing News said crews had difficulty reaching the second floor and the roof because materials were piled near stairway exits and in corners. More than 10 people were trapped on the roof when rescuers arrived around noon, the reports said.

Preliminary estimates put the burned area at several thousand square meters. Fire crews later entered different floors to cool the building and continue checks after smoke at the site turned lighter, according to the reports.

Jiemian News reported late Thursday that the company's legal representative and relevant responsible people had been placed under control, and that the company's accounts had been frozen.

The Ministry of Emergency Management sent a work team to the site to guide rescue and response work, Xinhua reported. Fujian authorities also organized efforts to treat the injured and handle the scene.

Business registration information cited by Jiefang Daily shows Huiteng Shoes was established in 2015 and is engaged mainly in leather, fur, feather products and footwear manufacturing. The company has registered capital of 10 million yuan (US$1.39 million) and paid-in capital of 6 million yuan.

Jinjiang is one of China's best-known footwear production bases. Chendai, where the factory is located, is home to a dense cluster of shoe manufacturers and suppliers.

The accident has again drawn attention to fire safety in small and medium-sized factories where flammable raw materials, crowded workshops and blocked escape routes can sharply raise the risks during a blaze.