A devastating fire engulfed a four-story office building, the Yongju Coal Industry Joint Building, in China’s northern Shanxi province at 6:50 am, resulting in 11 fatalities and at least 51 injuries. The incident adds to a concerning trend of deadly accidents in the country.
Chinese state media reported on Thursday that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, and attempts to reach Yongju Coal Industry for comments were unsuccessful.
The tragedy compounds existing scrutiny on China’s coal producers, who have faced heightened concerns due to a series of recent accidents in mines. The ongoing safety inspections in response to these incidents have further impacted coal production in the region.
