SIXTEEN people were killed after a fire broke out at a shopping mall in southwest China on Wednesday, according to Chinese state media.
Dramatic images showed a huge column of black smoke billowing from a 14-story building in Zigong city, Sichuan province. Several people were also seen gathered on balconies.
About 30 people were rescued from the fire after nearly 300 emergency workers and dozens of vehicles were deployed from the local fire department to the scene, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Initial investigations suggest the fire was caused by construction work, CCTV said, citing local authorities.
In a statement Thursday, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management urged rescue workers and provincial officials to determine the cause of the fire as soon as possible, and learn lessons to ensure better safety in the future.
Incidents like this are not uncommon in China, where enforcement of safety standards is often lax.
In January, a fire at a multi-purpose building in southeastern China killed at least 39 people just days after another fire at a boarding school in central Henan province killed 13 children. (CNN/Z-3)
#Killed #Fire #Shopping #Mall #Southwest #China
