A fire broke out in a building in Chengdu, southwest China, on Thursday, sending more than 20 people to the hospital. The blaze started in a shop on the ground floor and quickly spread, according to state news agency Xinhua. State broadcaster CCTV shared images of people watching the flames at the entrance of a hotel.
Firefighters received the alert at 11:02 am and managed to extinguish the fire by 11:15 am. Fortunately, none of the hospitalized individuals are in critical condition, although some were reported to have serious injuries. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Fires are relatively common in China due to poor construction practices and lax enforcement of building codes. In July, a fire in a shopping center in Zigong, also in southwest China, resulted in 16 fatalities. Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, is one of China’s wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities.
