24 February 2024 , 09:10
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At least 15 people have died and 44 more have been injured in a huge fire at a residential building in eastern China, local authorities have said.
The blaze in the Yuhuatai district of Nanjing broke out in the early hours of Friday morning and a preliminary investigation suggested it began on the first floor, where electric bikes had been placed. Emergency services including 25 fire engines and 130 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze.
Authorities said the fire was put out by about 6am with a search and rescue operation ending by 2pm on Friday. Officials said the injured people were taken to hospital for treatment.
The blackened fronts of flats in the building (AFP via Getty Images)There has been speculation that the e-bikes may have exploded, but the cause of the incident has not been established yet and an investigation is ongoing. During a press conference, Nanjing mayor Chen Zhichang offered his condolences and apologies to the families of the victims.
Photos shared in the aftermath of the tragedy showed some flats on the building with blackened fronts. China has experienced a spate of deadly fires in recent months, with President Xi Jinping calling for greater efforts to ensure the safety of residents. In January, at least 39 people died and nine were injured following a fire that started in the basement of a store in the central city of Xinyu.
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Authorities said 15 people were killed (AFP via Getty Images)That blaze happened just days after another fire at a school in central China's Henan province killed 13 pupils sleeping in a dormitory. A teacher from the school told local media that all the victims were all between 9 and 10 years old. The incident sparked outrage among social media users, who called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Back in November, 26 people were killed and dozens were injue3rd after a fire in the office of a coal company in the northern Shanxi province. In October, 31 people died in an explosion at a barbecue restaurant in Ningxia, a small autonomous region in north-central China.