28 dead in shoe factory fire in east China

28 people have been killed following a fire at a shoe factory in Jinjiang City, east China’s Fujian Province, on Thursday, local authorities said.

Over 500 firefighters and 35 vehicles joined the rescue operation. At the time of the fire, 237 factory workers and two external delivery personnel were at the scene. A total of 213 people were evacuated, but two of them died at the hospital.

Twenty-six missing persons were confirmed dead. Police have detained the company’s owner and several others suspected of bearing responsibility for the fire. Authorities have also frozen the company’s accounts. Authorities have also ordered an investigation to determine the nature of the accident and the responsibilities involved.

The fire started on the ground floor, where shoe-making materials stored were highly flammable and could cause a blaze to spread rapidly.