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29 March 2024

Hotel fire in China kills 10

Published
By AFP

A fire at a hotel in northeastern China killed 10 people and injured 35 on Sunday, state media reported, in the latest deadly accident to highlight lax Chinese fire safety.

The blaze broke out about 3:30 am (1930 GMT Sunday) at a hotel operated by Chinese budget hotel chain Home Inns in Tonghua city in Jilin Province, the official Xinhua news agency said. It was extinguished half an hour later.

The victims died of smoke inhalation after the fire started in the stairwell and sent thick plumes of smoke to the upper floors of the hotel, Xinhua said, citing the city’s publicity department.

Local government officials did not answer calls from AFP.

The injured have been taken to hospital, including three in a critical condition, Xinhua said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Deadly fires are common in China and are typically blamed on lax observation and enforcement of fire-safety measures.

Last week, 18 poor migrants died and nearly two dozen were injured when a fire swept through an illegally constructed building in Beijing.