Twenty-six individuals have died and dozens had been despatched to hospital after a hearth tore via a constructing in northern China’s Shanxi province on Thursday, state media reported.

The hearth began at a four-storey constructing belonging to the Yongju coal firm in Shanxi province’s Luliang metropolis at round 6:50 am native time (2250 GMT on Wednesday), state media mentioned, citing native authorities.

Twenty-six individuals had been confirmed lifeless, state information company Xinhua reported.

Earlier, broadcaster CCTV mentioned that 63 individuals had been evacuated, 51 of whom had been hospitalised.

The studies didn’t say if any of these taken to hospital had died.

“Rescue work is still in progress and the cause of the fire is under investigation,” CCTV reported.

A later replace mentioned the fireplace had “now been brought under control”.

Video footage posted on social media website Weibo confirmed brilliant flames and thick black smoke billowing from the constructing, whereas dozens of individuals stood within the car parking zone watching.

The constructing proven within the video matched photographs of the coal firm’s headquarters posted on its web site.

Emergency response personnel could possibly be seen within the footage racing to placed on protecting gear exterior a hearth truck parked on the constructing’s entrance.

Industrial accidents are frequent in China attributable to lax security requirements and poor enforcement.

In July, 11 individuals died after the roof of a faculty fitness center collapsed within the nation’s northeast.

The month earlier than, an explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwestern China left 31 lifeless and prompted official pledges of a nationwide marketing campaign to advertise office security.

In April, a hospital hearth in Beijing killed 29 individuals and compelled determined survivors to leap out of home windows to flee.

One of the worst such accidents passed off in 2015 in Tianjin, the place a big explosion at a chemical warehouse killed at the very least 165 individuals.

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