Shopping Mall Fire in Southwest China Claims 16 Lives Sixteen fatalities occurred following a fire that erupted at a shopping mall in southwest China on Wednesday, as reported by Chinese state media.
Dramatic visuals captured a large column of black smoke emanating from the 14-story building located in Zigong, Sichuan province. Images also showed several individuals gathered on a balcony during the incident.
Approximately 30 individuals were rescued from the fire with the assistance of nearly 300 emergency personnel and numerous vehicles dispatched by the local fire department, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was likely caused by construction activities, as stated by local authorities, CCTV reported.
In a statement on Thursday, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management called on rescue teams and provincial authorities to swiftly investigate the cause of the fire and extract lessons to enhance future safety measures.
Such incidents are regrettably frequent in China, where enforcement of safety regulations is often inadequate.
Earlier this year, a fire in a mixed-use building in southeast China claimed the lives of at least 39 individuals, shortly after another blaze at a boarding school in central Henan province resulted in the deaths of 13 children.
