Chinese media reported that a fire in a shopping center in southern China had claimed the lives of 16 individuals.
According to Xinhua News Agency, updated on Thursday, 30 people who were trapped were rescued from the scene.
Chinese authorities initially announced six casualties immediately after the fire, but shortly thereafter, the death toll from the incident rose to 16.
The fire occurred Thursday afternoon in the lower part of a 14-story residential building and shopping center in Zigong City, Sichuan Province, China.
This tragic fire adds to a series of deadly incidents in China, often due to weak safety regulations.
In January, dozens lost their lives in a fire at a shopping mall in Shenyang, central China’s Jiangxi Province. According to China’s state news agency, Xinhua, the fire was started by “illegal” fireworks set off by workers in the basement of the mall.
Meanwhile, such incidents underscore the critical need for stringent safety measures to prevent further tragedies in China.
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