Thirty-nine people were killed and nine others injured after a building fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in the city of Xinyu in east China's Jiangxi Province, local authorities said. The fire broke out in a street shop in the Yushui district of Xinyu, the local fire response emergency headquarters said. The rescue operations concluded at 8:50 p.m. local time, with no remaining people trapped, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Among the injured, eight are in stable condition, while another one is being rescued. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. Videos circulating on social media showed a column of thick, dark smoke billowing from the building, and fire trucks and ambulances were at the scene of the accident. The building where the fire broke out had internet cafes and training institutions, Central China Television reported.
President Xi Jinping orders steps to curb repeated occurrences
Following the mishap, Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered steps to curb repeated occurrences of such accidents and to protect people's lives and property and social stability. Premier Li Qiang, urged rescue personnel to work against the clock to find people who remain trapped and do their best to treat the injured and reduce casualties. Fatal fires in China are not uncommon due to lax enforcement of building and safety standards. On January 20, at least 13 students were killed when a fire broke out in a school dormitory in central China's Henan province. All the victims were third-grade students.
In November last year, 26 people died after a large fire ripped through an office building in Luliang city in Shanxi province. A hospital fire in Beijing last April claimed the lives of at least 29 people -- mostly patients -- and triggered an investigation which saw 12 people detained by police for questioning.
(With inputs from agency)
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