At least 39 people have been killed and nine injured in a fire that started in the basement of a shop in the Chinese city of Xinyu.

State media said the fire started on Wednesday afternoon local time in the city in Jiangxi province.

Footage from state-backed Global Times showed smoke billowing from buildings and people jumping from windows. The video has not been verified by the BBC.

President Xi Jinping has called for an investigation into the blaze.

He also demanded the "resolute containment" of similar deadly incidents in the country.

Wednesday's fire comes days after 13 children died when a fire broke out in a school dormitory in the central Henan province. Seven members of staff were later arrested by police.

In November, 26 people died and dozens were sent to hospital after a fire at a coal company office in northern China's Shanxi province.

The month before, an explosion at a barbecue restaurant in north-western China left 31 dead and prompted official pledges of a nationwide campaign to promote workplace safety.

And last April, a hospital fire in Beijing killed 29 people and forced desperate survivors to jump out of windows to escape.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0942 HRS, JAN 25, 2024
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