Beijing: A fire that tore through a shoe factory in eastern China on Thursday killed at least 28 people, state media said, after dozens of fire and rescue personnel raced to extinguish the blaze.
Hours after the fire broke out at the Huiteng Shoes factory around noon (0400 GMT), there were fears people were still trapped inside the building in Jinjiang city, Fujian province.
President Xi Jinping said the fire resulted in "heavy human losses", with state news agency Xinhua later citing a preliminary toll of 28 dead.
Footage shared by state television CCTV showed firefighters dousing the facade and interior of a large, multi-story white building with fire hoses, as thick black smoke poured out.
People can be seen taking refuge near the windows and on the roof of the building, while the blaze raged in the lower floors.
The Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement that fire and rescue teams dispatched 183 people and 35 vehicles to the scene.
Xi, in remarks carried by Xinhua, said there were "heavy human losses" and called for increased search and rescue efforts.
Live footage aired by CCTV showed the charred building with thick grey smoke billowing from broken windows.
"The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and... those responsible must be strictly held accountable," Xi said.
The blaze was being extinguished, the emergency management ministry said, demanding "all-out" efforts to put it out, search for trapped survivors and treat the injured.
Some people were trapped and "out of contact", Xinhua said.
China launched a campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings in November, after a huge blaze engulfed several tower blocks in Hong Kong, killing 168 people.
A month later, a fire at a residential building in southern China's Guangdong province killed 12 people.
