In the central Chinese province of Henan, a raging fire has claimed the lives of 38 workers at a chemical and industrial goods firm.
The municipal authority of a portion of the city of Anyang released a statement on Tuesday stating that two additional persons were hurt.
The fire was reported at 4:30 p.m. on Monday and it took firemen almost three and a half hours to contain it, according to the Wenfang district government.
CCTV video footage showed flames and smoke pouring from what seemed to be a two-story structure that was engulfed in flames. Using an extension ladder and lighting, firemen surveyed the charred, skeletal remnants of the structure at night.
There was no mention of the cause of the fire or how so many personnel perished, despite the fact that China has a history of industrial catastrophes caused by a lackadaisical regard for safety procedures, spurred by increased rivalry and aided by unscrupulous authorities. Frequently listed as direct reasons include inadequate storage conditions, closed exits, and a lack of firefighting equipment.
During a fire at the wholesaler, rescuers bulldoze a wall.
AP
According to its online profile, Kaixinda is a supplier of a variety of industrial products, including what are characterized as specialty chemicals.
The majority of the 173 victims in a 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the northern port city of Tianjin were firemen and police personnel. The chemicals were discovered to have been improperly registered and kept, with local officials complicit in ignoring the potential danger.
The fire was contained by firemen in three and a half hours.
AP
According to the statement, more than 200 search and rescue personnel and sixty firemen reacted to the Henan fire.
Numerous fatal instances in the highly populated and economically significant province have led to the arrest of local authorities.
In April, 53 people were murdered when a building collapsed on the outskirts of the province capital Changsha.