Authorities in Nanjing, eastern China, reported 15 deaths and dozens of injuries in an apartment block fire.
A preliminary examination suggests the Yuhuatai district fire began on Friday on the residential building’s first floor, where electric bikes were housed, officials said at a press briefing.
Authorities said a search and rescue operation ended at 2pm on Friday after the fire was extinguished at 6am.
Authorities said 44 individuals were hospitalized, one in “critical condition”.
Emergency services sent 25 fire vehicles to combat the fire.
Chinese social media footage showed a skyscraper on fire at night, spewing black smoke.
Fires and other calamities are widespread in China, where safety regulations have lagged behind rapid development.
After a fire in central China’s Xinyu killed at least 39 people last month, President Xi Jinping called for “deep reflection” and more efforts to “curb the frequent occurrence of safety accidents”.
Xi’s call came days after another school dormitory fire in Henan province killed 13 youngsters.
Social media users demanded punishment for the act.
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