Chinese Factory Fire Kills 28, President Xi Vows Punishment
At least 28 workers died in a fire at a Chinese shoe factory in Fujian Province on Thursday; President Xi Jinping vowed strict punishment for those responsible as investigators probe a possible blaze origin in a storage area for flammable m
A fire at a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian Province in southeastern China killed at least 28 people on Thursday, July 9, according to state media. Hundreds of firefighters responded to the blaze at the Huiyideng Company facility in what is known as China's "shoe capital," responsible for about 20 percent of global athletic shoe production. More than 200 workers were evacuated, though injury figures remain unclear. President Xi Jinping stated those responsible will face strict punishment. Officials believe the fire may have started in a lower floor storage area for flammable materials. Dramatic images and videos circulating online showed people trapped on rooftops amid heavy black smoke and intense flames. This incident comes as China intensifies fire safety campaigns in tall buildings following a November 2024 apartment complex fire in Hong Kong's Tai Po district that killed 168 people.
