Beijing, November 9
At least 14 people have died and more than 30 others have been injured after a fire broke out at a high-rise building in Taiyuan, the capital of China’s northern Shanxi province, on Sunday evening.
According to the Yingze District government and state-run news agency Xinhua, the fire started at 4:59 pm local time at the Haosheng International Apartment building in downtown Taiyuan.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 7 pm after nearly two hours of efforts. Rescue operations were completed at 8:30 pm.
A total of 38 people were taken to hospital on Sunday night, five of whom were confirmed dead. The death toll had risen to 14 by Monday morning, Xinhua reported.
The district government said efforts were underway to treat the injured and that an investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing.
A hotel employee in the building told local media that the fire was believed to have started on the fifth floor, while some people on the eighth floor were injured.
A hotel guest, identified as Lan, told The Beijing News that he woke up after smelling smoke and escaped with a wet towel. He and five others broke through window grilles and reached an external platform, where they waited for around 40 minutes before firefighters rescued them.
The incident is Taiyuan’s second major fire this year, coming just two weeks after city authorities held a meeting on fire and workplace safety.
—Agencies
