A massive fire in a residential building in northern China has killed at least 14 people and injured dozens more, state media confirmed on Monday morning, as the death toll rose from initial reports.
The incident occurred at around 5pm on Sunday in a residential building in Taiyuan city, Shanxi province. According to the official Xinhua news agency, initially 38 people were taken to hospital for medical treatment, five of whom died from their injuries. Over the following hours, the death toll rose to 14.
The fire was brought under control on Sunday, and search and rescue operations were concluded. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.
Fatal fires are a recurring problem in China, where concerns are often raised about compliance with safety standards in buildings and workplaces.
After a massive fire that engulfed several residential towers in Hong Kong in November last year, killing 168 people, China launched a campaign to identify and eliminate fire hazards in high-rise buildings.
However, tragedies have continued. A month later, a fire in a residential building in Guangdong province killed 12 people, while in July, another fire at a shoe factory in eastern China killed at least 28 people.
