BEIJING—Chinese authorities ordered a nationwide investigation into factory safety following a fire at a shoe manufacturing plant in the eastern province of Fujian that killed 28 people, prompting President Xi Jinping to call for stricter enforcement of workplace safety rules and accountability for those responsible.
The State Council's workplace safety authorities instructed local governments and regulators to conduct comprehensive inspections of factories and other high-risk industrial sites to identify hazards and address safety violations, according to official announcements issued after the blaze. The campaign is intended to strengthen oversight of manufacturing facilities and prevent similar accidents.
The fire broke out on Thursday at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang, a major footwear manufacturing hub in Fujian province. Authorities said 239 people were inside the five-story building, which contained both production workshops and warehouse space. More than 500 emergency personnel took part in rescue operations, evacuating 213 people before the fire was brought under control several hours later. Twenty-eight people died, making it one of China's deadliest industrial fires in recent years.
State media reported that investigators detained the factory owner and several managers while freezing the company's assets as authorities began examining the cause of the fire. Officials said combustible materials stored inside the building and blocked stairways complicated evacuation efforts and firefighting operations, though the formal investigation remains ongoing.
Xi called for an exhaustive investigation into the accident and urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable in accordance with the law. He also directed officials to draw lessons from the incident and strengthen safety management across industries to reduce the risk of major accidents.
The disaster has renewed scrutiny of workplace safety in China despite years of regulatory efforts. Official statistics cited by state media show more than 18,000 people died in workplace accidents across the country in 2025, although the overall number of reported industrial accidents declined from the previous year. Recent fatal incidents, including a fireworks factory explosion in Hunan and a coal mine gas explosion in Shanxi, have also led to official investigations and disciplinary action against companies and regulators.
Authorities said inspections ordered after the Fujian fire will focus on identifying hidden risks, ensuring compliance with production safety regulations and requiring immediate corrective measures where violations are found, while investigators continue to determine the cause of the blaze.
