At least 28 people were killed after a fast-moving fire swept through a five-story shoe factory in southeastern China, trapping workers inside and sending thick black smoke pouring from the building.

The fire broke out around noon Thursday at the Huiteng Shoes factory in Jinjiang, Fujian province, one of China’s largest shoe-manufacturing centers.

Officials said 237 workers and two visitors were inside when the blaze began. Rescue crews managed to evacuate 213 people, but 26 were found dead at the scene and two others later died at a hospital.

Video from the scene showed flames consuming sections of the multi-story building as workers gathered on the roof waiting for rescue.

More than 500 emergency personnel took part in the response, and firefighters battled the blaze for roughly four hours before bringing it under control.

The fire reportedly started on the first floor, where a workshop and warehouse contained large quantities of highly flammable shoe materials.

But the nastiest detail may be what firefighters encountered once they tried to enter the building: stairwells were reportedly obstructed by stacks of shoe soles and other materials, making it more difficult for workers to escape and for rescuers to reach those trapped above.

That combination—flammable materials below and blocked escape routes inside—may have helped turn the factory into a death trap.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been announced.

Authorities detained the factory owner and several managers, froze the company’s accounts and opened a criminal and safety investigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered a full investigation and demanded that anyone found responsible be held accountable.

The factory produces footwear for domestic and international brands and is located in Chendai, an area at the center of China’s enormous sports-shoe industry.

The disaster is renewing scrutiny of workplace safety in China, where thousands of workers continue to die each year in factory fires, explosions and other industrial accidents.

Official figures show more than 18,000 workplace deaths were recorded in China in 2025, despite repeated government promises to improve inspections and enforcement.

For the families of the victims, however, the investigation will come too late.

What began as another ordinary workday ended with workers trapped above a fire fueled by the very materials they handled every day—and escape routes that may not have been clear when they were needed most.

ORIGINAL SOURCE

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