By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
No fewer than eight people have died, and 15 others have been injured following a fire outbreak at a vegetable market in Zhangjiakou City, located in northern China.
The blaze broke out on Saturday morning at around 8:40 am local time at the Liguang market in the Qiaoxi District, northwest of Beijing.
The Qiaoxi District People’s Government confirmed that those injured were promptly transported to hospitals, with their conditions not considered life-threatening. The fire was eventually brought under control by 10 am, and authorities are now investigating its cause.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of deadly fires in China, which are often linked to lax building regulations and inadequate workplace safety measures. State media reported that a fire in Chengdu, a major city in October, hospitalized 24 people suffering from breathing difficulties. Additionally, a fire at a shopping centre in Zigong in July claimed the lives of 16 people.
The ongoing investigation into the cause of the Zhangjiakou market fire aims to prevent further such incidents and address the concerns regarding fire safety standards across the country.