At least 16 people have died after a fire broke out in a shopping mall in southwestern China, according to Al Jazeera, citing state media. The blaze ignited in a 14-storey commercial building in Zigong, Sichuan Province, on Wednesday night.
Firefighters worked through the night and into Thursday morning to contain the fire, reported Xinhua News Agency. Despite the tragic loss of life, rescue teams successfully saved 75 people, Al Jazeera noted.
The fire started on the ground floor of the building, which includes a department store, offices, restaurants, and a movie theater, according to CCTV. Preliminary investigations suggest that construction activities may have triggered the blaze, but a thorough investigation is ongoing to pinpoint the exact cause, authorities said.
Videos circulating on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the lower levels of the building, eventually engulfing the entire structure. The emergency department urged the public to “not believe or amplify rumours” about the incident.
State media reported that firefighters utilized drones and water sprays to combat the flames. Fire hazards remain a persistent issue in China, with 947 fire-related deaths reported from January to May 2024, a 19 percent increase from the previous year, according to Li Wanfeng, spokesman for the National Fire and Rescue Administration, Al Jazeera reported.
Li added that the incidence of fires in public places like hotels and restaurants rose by 40 percent, mainly due to faulty electrical or gas lines and negligence. Earlier in January, unauthorized welding in the basement of a commercial building caused a fire that killed 39 people. In February, 15 people died in a residential building fire in Nanjing, which started in an attached car park containing electric bikes, according to Al Jazeera.