Thirty people in all have been pulled from the site, however, the actual number of people trapped remains unknown.
A fire outbreak in a shopping mall in South west China’s Zigong city, Sichuan province has resulted in the loss of eight lives. The fire started at around 6 pm local time in the 14-story building. With rescue efforts still ongoing, 75 people have been rescued, according to the official news agency Xinhua. Prompt response from nearly 300 emergency workers and numerous vehicles from the local fire department helped contain the blaze, which was successfully extinguished by 8.20 p.m. While thirty individuals were rescued from the site, the exact number of trapped individuals remains unknown.
The 14-story building contains a department store, offices, restaurants, and a movie theater. Videos shared on social media showed thick black smoke billowing from the building’s lower levels, engulfing the entire structure. Massive flames were visible as firefighters used water sprays to combat the blaze. Local media reported that drones were also deployed in the firefighting efforts.
A fire broke out in a department store at about 6 pm on Wednesday in Zigong, SW.China’s Sichuan Province. As of 8:20 pm, 30 trapped people had been rescued by firefighters. The latest reports said 6 people were killed due to the fire. pic.twitter.com/vxv8oM8J7O
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) July 17, 2024
This unfortunate event sheds light on the pressing issue of safety regulations in China, where incidents like these are not uncommon due to inadequate enforcement. Earlier in January, a fire in southeastern China claimed 39 lives and another in a boarding school dormitory in Henan province that resulted in the loss of 13 children.