Jinjiang Shoe Factory Fire Kills 28 in Fujian Province

CHINA’S FUJIAN PROVINCE – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – A massive Jinjiang shoe factory fire has left at least 28 people dead in eastern China’s Fujian province. The blaze broke out around noon on Thursday at the Huiteng Shoes factory, trapping many workers inside the burning building.

Local officials say the fire started on the ground floor of the multi-storey plant. Adhesives and other shoe-making materials fed the flames fast, filling the building with thick black smoke within minutes.

The Fujian province factory fire today shocked residents of Jinjiang city, a major hub for shoe and sportswear production. Videos shared online showed flames tearing through several floors while workers waved for help from windows and the rooftop.

Fire crews rushed more than 180 firefighters and 35 vehicles to the scene. Rescue teams struggled to reach the upper floors because stairwells and exits were blocked with shoe materials, city fire chief Du Zhenzhou told state media.

A total of 237 workers and two delivery staff were inside the factory when the fire began. Officials said 213 people were pulled out safely, though these numbers do not yet fully match the reported death toll.

The Jinjiang footwear factory blaze has drawn a strong response from top Chinese leaders. President Xi Jinping called the losses heavy and demanded a fast investigation into what caused the fire.

Xi also ordered officials to hold those responsible accountable. He noted that China has already seen several major industrial accidents this year and urged stricter safety rules across every region.

Police have already detained the factory owner along with several other people linked to the site. Authorities have also frozen the company’s bank accounts while the probe continues.

Jinjiang is known around the world as a center for athletic shoe manufacturing. Many global footwear brands source products from factories in this region, which makes safety standards there a serious concern for buyers everywhere.

This tragedy follows other deadly fires in China in recent months. A blaze in Hong Kong high-rise towers killed 168 people in November, and a residential fire in Guangdong left 12 people dead just a month later.

In May, a blast at a fireworks factory in central China killed 37 people. That accident remains one of the country’s worst industrial disasters in recent years.

Rescue work is still ongoing at the Huiteng Shoes factory. Emergency teams continue searching for survivors as crews work to bring the fire fully under control and treat the injured.