28 Killed in Massive Fire at China's Shoe Factory, Owner and Managers Arrested

A devastating fire at a shoe factory in southeastern China has claimed 28 lives , casting a harsh spotlight once again on the country's long-running workplace safety challenges. The blaze tore through the Fujian Huiteng factory in Jinjiang , a major manufacturing center known as China's "shoe capital," where thousands of factories produce more than a billion pairs of athletic shoes each year.

According to Chinese authorities, 237 workers and two visitors were inside the five-storey building when the fire broke out on Thursday. Rescue teams managed to evacuate 213 people , but two later died in hospital while another 26 missing workers were subsequently confirmed dead , bringing the toll to 28.

Dramatic footage broadcast by local media showed people stranded on the roof as thick black smoke engulfed the building and flames burst from upper-floor windows. Investigators said the fire began on the ground floor, where a workshop and warehouse were located. A local fire official told state television that large quantities of highly flammable shoe materials had been stacked in stairwells, obstructing firefighters and complicating rescue efforts.

Authorities have detained the factory owner and managers, and the company's accounts have been frozen as the investigation continues. More than 500 rescuers , including 183 firefighters and 35 emergency vehicles , were involved in the operation, and the blaze was brought under control after several hours.

President Xi Jinping ordered a swift investigation and said those responsible would be held strictly accountable.

The tragedy follows a series of deadly industrial accidents in China, including a fireworks plant explosion in Hunan that killed at least 37 people and a 2024 fire at a refrigeration facility in Jiangxi that claimed 39 lives. Although official figures show workplace fatalities declined in 2025, the Jinjiang disaster has renewed concerns over safety enforcement in one of the world's largest manufacturing economies.