Fire at Shoe Factory in Jinjiang Kills at Least 28, Over 200 Evacuated

Two of those evacuated later died in hospital. Twenty-six others who were initially missing were found dead. Video footage released by state media showed at least a dozen people appearing trapped on the roof.

Initial reports indicate the fire may have started on the ground floor where flammable materials were stored. Authorities detained a number of people who work for the factory's owners and froze the firm's bank account. President Xi Jinping stated that the blaze caused major casualties and that those responsible must be held strictly accountable.

He said Chinese officials must draw profound lessons from several major industrial safety accidents in the country this year and that rigorous and effective safety measures must be implemented. Jinjiang manufactures 20 percent of the world's sports shoes. China began a campaign to prevent fires in high-rise buildings after a November fire in Hong Kong killed 168 people.