The fire that broke out in a shopping center in southwest China on Wednesday claimed the lives of 16 people, according to the latest report.
According to the AP agency, the rescue operation ended on Thursday at 03:00 local time. A preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was apparently caused by construction work. The specific cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The fire broke out on the ground floor of a 14-story shopping mall in the city of Chongqing in Sichuan province, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Firefighters brought the fire under control in the evening local time. However, according to footage released by CCTV, thick black smoke was still rising from the building. Initially, Chinese media reported six victims.
Fires and other fatal accidents are quite common in China. They arise mainly due to insufficient security measures and weak compliance with regulations, AFP stated.
In January, 39 people died after a fire broke out in a shop in the eastern Chinese city of Xinyu. A week earlier, a fire killed 13 children at a school dormitory in the central Chinese province of Henan.
Source: spravy.pravda.sk
