Sixteen people have died in China after a fire incident at a shopping centre.
Reports emerged on Thursday morning indicating that the occurrence transpired at the retail hub on Wednesday within the southwestern city of Zigong, China.
Upon the arrival of firefighters shortly after 6 pm at the 14-storey commercial edifice, a total of 75 individuals were successfully evacuated, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
Until the time of reporting, the root cause of the fire and the exact occupancy of the building during the outbreak, where a department store, offices, restaurants, and a cinema are located, have not been ascertained.
Footage depicted billows of dense black smoke emanating from lower-level windows and enveloping the entire 14-storey structure as firefighters diligently utilized water sprays and drones in their efforts.
As of May this year, China had registered 947 fire-related fatalities, marking a 19 percent increase compared to the corresponding period in the preceding year, as outlined by Li Wanfeng, a representative from the National Fire and Rescue Administration, who highlighted a 40 percent surge in fires occurring in public venues like hotels and eateries.
The majority of these incidents were attributed to electrical malfunctions, the spokesperson elucidated.
