A fire broke out in a shopping mall located in Zigong city, Sichuan province, South west China, tragically claiming eight lives. The incident began around 6 pm local time in the 14-story building.

Rescue operations are currently underway, with 75 individuals successfully rescued so far, according to Xinhua, the official news agency. The swift response involved nearly 300 emergency personnel and multiple fire department vehicles, which managed to contain and extinguish the blaze by 8:20 pm. While thirty people were rescued directly from the scene, the exact number of those still trapped remains unknown.

The building houses a variety of facilities including a department store, offices, restaurants, and a movie theater. Disturbing footage circulated on social media displayed thick black smoke emerging from the lower floors of the building, eventually enveloping the entire structure. Firefighters battled massive flames using water sprays, supplemented by drone technology, as reported by local media.

This tragic incident highlights the critical issue of safety regulations in China, where such occurrences, often linked to lax enforcement, sadly occur with some frequency. Earlier this year, similar incidents claimed lives in southeastern China and at a boarding school dormitory in Henan province, underscoring ongoing safety challenges in various settings across the country.