Beijing demands ‘all-out’ effort to extinguish the blaze, search for survivors and treat the injured.

At least 28 people have been killed in a fire at a shoe factory in southeastern China, and many are still thought to be trapped inside, according to state media.

The fire broke out about noon (04:00 GMT) on Thursday in the city of Jinjiang in Fujian province. Local media named the site as the Huiteng Shoes factory in the village of Jiangtou.

Firefighters are trying to reach those trapped inside while President Xi Jinping has warned of “significant casualties”.

“The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and … those responsible must be strictly held accountable,” Xi said.

The state news agency Xinhua reported a preliminary death toll of 28.

Footage shared online showed a multistorey building engulfed in thick black smoke. A number of people trapped by the blaze can be seen on the rooftop.

More than 180 firefighters and rescue workers have been dispatched to the scene along with 35 emergency vehicles. According to local media, most of the open flames had been extinguished by early evening.

The Ministry of Emergency Management demanded an “all-out” effort to extinguish the fire, search for survivors and treat the injured.

According to Xinhua, emergency workers have lost communication with some of those trapped inside.

Many of the materials used to manufacture shoes are highly flammable. According to one official, the factory contained such products, which likely caused the fire to spread rapidly. Preliminary assessments indicated the fire began on the ground floor.

Industrial accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards and poor enforcement, which some attribute to corruption among those responsible for ensuring compliance.

Beijing launched a nationwide campaign to eliminate fire hazards in high-rise buildings in November after a major blaze tore through a residential complex in Hong Kong, killing 168 people. It was one of the deadliest residential fires in the world.

During the first three quarters of 2024, China recorded more than 13,400 workplace safety accidents, resulting in 12,804 deaths.