BEIJING – A fire that erupted on July 17 at a shopping centre in south-western China has been extinguished, but some people remain trapped inside, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Footage broadcast by the channel and shared on social media depicted thick black smoke billowing from a building in Zigong, Sichuan province. About 17 individuals have been rescued from the building, CCTV reported.
“By 8:20 p.m., the fire had been extinguished,” stated CCTV, adding, “some people are still trapped and rescue operations are continuing.” The fire began in the early evening within a shopping centre at the base of a 14-storey building.
China frequently experiences fires and other deadly accidents due to lax safety standards and inadequate enforcement. In January, a fire at a store in the central city of Xinyu resulted in dozens of deaths, with state news agency Xinhua attributing the blaze to the “illegal” use of fire by workers in the store’s basement.
This incident occurred just days after a late-evening fire at a school dormitory in Henan province killed 13 children as they slept. Efforts are ongoing to rescue those still trapped in the Zigong shopping centre, as authorities work to prevent further casualties and ensure safety standards are upheld in the aftermath of the fire.