Fire in China’s Jiangxi province kills at least 39 people

A fire broke out in a commercial building in China’s southeastern Jiangxi province on Wednesday, killing at least 39 people, state media said.

BEIJING — A fire broke out in a commercial building in China’s southeastern Jiangxi province on Wednesday, killing at least 39 people and injuring nine others, state media said.

Officials for the Yushui district of Jiangxi province said that the fire broke out in the basement of a shopping area in the afternoon. In addition to rescue workers, firefighters and police, local government officials were deployed to the scene.

State broadcaster CCTV later reported that rescue operations were complete and that no people remained trapped in the building, which it said housed an internet cafe in the basement and tutoring centers on upper floors.

Firefighters at the scene of the fire, which broke out in the basement of a shopping area.Zhou Mi / Xinhua via APChinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement about the blaze, noting that it was yet another safety tragedy. He called on the government and Communist Party to “resolutely curb the frequent occurrence of various safety accidents, and ensure the safety of people’s lives and property and overall social stability.”

The statement included orders for the State Council’s Work Safety Committee to close any gaps in safety measures.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-fire-jiangxi-province-kills-least-39-people-rcna135581

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