According to state media reports, firefighters in China have recovered six bodies from a shopping center, with an unspecified number still trapped following a fire that erupted in a 14-storey building.
The fire broke out on Wednesday in a shopping center located at the base of the building, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV. Video footage aired on CCTV and circulated on social media depicted dense black smoke emanating from the tower situated in Zigong, a city in southwestern Sichuan province.
Approximately 30 individuals were rescued from the shopping complex, and firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze by around 8:20 pm (1220 GMT), CCTV stated. Subsequent drone footage showed emergency vehicles blocking off roads late into the night, continuing to douse the charred structure.
CCTV confirmed the deaths of six individuals, noting that search and rescue efforts were ongoing with additional people still trapped inside.
Zigong’s emergency services department received notification of the fire around 6:10 pm and promptly dispatched firefighters to tackle the flames, the broadcaster reported.
Social media also shared unverified images showing onlookers gathered near the burning building.
Zigong, situated approximately 1,900 kilometers from Beijing, has a population of nearly 2.5 million residents.
China frequently experiences fires and other deadly incidents due to insufficient safety protocols and inadequate enforcement. Earlier this year in January, a fire erupted in a store in Xinyu, resulting in numerous fatalities attributed to the “illegal” use of fire in the store’s basement, according to state news agency Xinhua. President Xi Jinping urged authorities to learn from such tragedies to prevent future disasters.
Similarly, in the same month, a residential building fire claimed the lives of at least 15 people. Days later, a nighttime blaze at a school dormitory in Henan province took the lives of 13 sleeping schoolchildren.
