36 dead in factory fire in Chinese city of Anyang

A fire at a factory in Anyang City in central China's Henan Province has killed 36 people, state media said Tuesday, citing local authorities. Two people at the plant are still missing. News agency Xinhua reported that the fire broke out Monday afternoon and no other details about the incident have been shared yet.

State media said rescue services first received reports of a fire at 4:22 pm at Kaixinda Trading Co., Ltd.

"After receiving the alarm, the municipal fire rescue detachment immediately dispatched forces to the scene," CCTV reported.

"Public security, emergency response, municipal administration, and power supply units rushed to the scene at the same time to carry out emergency handling and rescue work," it said.

It further informed that the blaze was brought under control by around 11 pm local time. Two people with non-life-threatening injuries are being treated in the hospital, CCTV added.

While the cause of the fire is not known, authorities say they have taken into custody "criminal suspects" in connection with the fire.

As per some online listings for Kaixinda Trading, it was a wholesaler that dealt in industrial goods and specialized chemicals.

Footage from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke from the fire, with at least two trucks in position to battle the flames.

Earlier the same day, an explosion at a chemical factory in nearby Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, was reported. Social media videos showed a fire at the industrial site with dense grey smoke.

Shards of glass strewn across nearby buildings can be seen other images with frightened locals fleeing the blast.

"Personnel were dispatched to the scene, the fire was extinguished, and the human toll is not yet known," Dahebao, an official daily based out of neighbouring Henan, reported on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, citing authorities.