Eight individuals have been killed whereas 15 others have been left injured after a hearth erupted on the Liguang Market in Zhangjiakou, northern China on Saturday, in keeping with state media reviews.
The hearth, which erupted round noon, was introduced beneath management by 2:00 pm native time, as per Xinhua Information Company, citing officers from the Qiaoxi District the place the market is located.
Authorities have launched an investigation to find out the reason for the blaze.
Liguang Market, like many conventional meals markets in China, is commonly densely crowded with buyers searching for inexpensive options to grocery store chains. Such markets, whereas bustling with exercise, may also be susceptible to fireplace hazards.
Doable sources of ignition vary from gasoline bottles and charcoal used for cooking to discarded cigarette butts. Ageing infrastructure, equivalent to outdated underground gasoline pipelines, has additionally been linked to earlier fires and explosions in related settings.
The tragedy highlights the dangers related to conventional market setups, the place security protocols could be tough to implement amid the hustle and bustle.
Zhangjiakou, a metropolis in Hebei province close to Beijing, gained worldwide consideration when it co-hosted occasions throughout the 2022 Winter Olympic Video games.
