Huiteng Shoes factory fire
| Date | 9 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Time | c. 12:04 pm (China Standard Time) |
| Venue | Huiteng Shoes facility |
| Location | |
| Type | Industrial accident |
| Cause | Fire |
| Outcome | Bank assets frozen[1] |
| Deaths | 28 |
| Arrests | The factory owners and other unnamed individuals[1] |
At 12:04 pm (CST) on 9 July 2026, a fire erupted on the first floor in a flammable material storage area at the Huiteng Shoe Company factory in Jinjiang, Fujian, China.[1] Founded in 2015, Huiteng produces shoes for international companies Fila, Beppi, Slazenger and Hi-Tec.[2]
Just after noon, a fire quickly spread on the ground floor of the five-storey concrete building. The fire spread quickly due to highly flammable adhesives and raw materials for shoes. Twenty-eight deaths have been confirmed. The facility had 237 employees and two delivery personnel onsite at the time of the fire and many of them stranded on the roof while rescuers attempted to access them.[3][4] According to the city fire chief, exits and stairwells were blocked with shoe materials slowing rescue personnel from reaching the upper levels of the building.[5]
General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang stated "[t]he cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and... those responsible must be strictly held accountable."[6] Following the incident, several employees of the factory owners were arrested, while the firm's bank account was frozen.[7]
References
- 1 2 3 "Shoe Factory Fire in China Kills At Least 28". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "Xi voices work-safety worry after shoe factory fire kills 28". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 10 July 2026.
- ↑ "28 killed in factory blaze in the heart of Chinese shoe manufacturing hub". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "At least 28 killed in shoe factory fire in southeast China, state media says". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "China factory fire kills at least 28 people". France24. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "习近平对福建泉州晋江市一鞋厂火灾事故作出重要指示". China Central Television (in Chinese (China)). 9 July 2026. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ "Factory fire kills at least 28 in China's 'shoe capital'". BBC. 9 July 2026. Retrieved 9 July 2026.