A factory fire has engulfed central China. The tragedy left at least 38 dead and two missing, the official Xinhua news agency said on Tuesday, citing local authorities.
The disaster took place “Monday afternoon in a factory in the city of Anyang, in the central province of Henan”, specified the official Chinese agency. “According to the first elements, this accident was triggered by a manipulation contrary to the regulations on the part of an employee of the company. (An operation of) electric welding caused the fire, ”said state television CCTV.
Frequent accidents
Industrial accidents are common in China, often caused by poor compliance with safety rules. In March 2019, the explosion of a chemical factory in Yancheng, a city located 260 kilometers north of Shanghai, caused the death of 78 people and devastated homes for several kilometers around.
But one of the most serious industrial accidents is the one that occurred in 2015 in Tianjin (north). A gigantic explosion in a chemical warehouse had killed at least 165 people in this large port city located 120 kilometers southeast of Beijing.