China’s state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday attributed the cause of the blaze to “illegal activity.”
A fire at a factory in central China has claimed dozens of victims, mostly women, in the country’s latest industrial tragedy, state media outlets said on Tuesday.
The blaze in Anyang, a city of 5.5 million people in Henan province, broke out at roughly 4:30 p.m. local time on Monday and wasn’t brought under control for another four hours, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The fire would only be fully extinguished by 11 p.m.
City authorities confirmed the deaths of at least 38 people, with an additional two victims said to have been treated in hospital for minor injuries. An unspecified number of suspects connected to the ownership and operation of the factory were taken into custody on as yet undisclosed charges.
State media footage showed flames and smoke engulfing a two-story steel structure in Anyang’s Wenfeng district reportedly belonging to industrial goods company Kaixinda Trading.
