Twenty-eight people were killed after a fire tore through a shoe factory in Jinjiang, Fujian Province, in southeastern China, authorities said.

China's state news agency Xinhua reported that the blaze rapidly engulfed much of the factory. Images from the scene showed thick black smoke and flames billowing from the building, while several workers were seen stranded on the roof awaiting rescue.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the fire had caused significant casualties and ordered an all-out rescue operation, calling for a swift investigation and strict accountability for those responsible.

Authorities said 239 people—237 workers and two visitors—were inside the factory when the fire broke out. Rescue teams evacuated 213 people, while two victims died after being taken to hospital and the remaining 26, initially reported missing, were later found dead, bringing the death toll to 28.

Local authorities deployed 35 fire engines and rescue vehicles along with more than 180 firefighters and emergency personnel to battle the blaze.

Preliminary investigations indicate the fire started on the ground floor, where flammable adhesives and shoe-making materials were stored, allowing the flames to spread rapidly. Rescue efforts were complicated by smoke-filled stairwells blocked with manufacturing materials.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire. Company officials have been detained and the firm's bank accounts frozen pending the outcome of the investigation.

Jinjiang, in Fujian Province, is widely known as China's footwear manufacturing hub. The city produced more than 1.2 billion pairs of shoes in 2024, accounting for roughly 20 percent of global footwear production. China's Ministry of Emergency Management has joined the investigation and emergency response following one of the country's deadliest industrial fires in recent years. (ILKHA)