A gas explosion fueled a fire on Thursday, 18th of July, 2024, in a shopping mall situated in the southwestern part of China and caused the death of at least sixteen people. It started in Sichuan province consuming the structure besides causing anxiety among the people.
Information concerning the circumstances that led to the fire is gradually coming out. Officials are still looking into circumstances that may have caused the fire to start.
Firefighters and other emergency services resumed an external firefight for hours until the fire was put out. Unfortunately, in that fire 16 people died despite the efforts of the men and women put in to save them. The state media also indicated that an unspecified number of people were wounded.
The case has raised such issues as the requirement for fire safety in Chinese shopping malls. Surveys will most probably aim at the construction codes, fire alarms, and evacuation plans and procedures that are in place in the building.
For this reason, it remains a dreadful example of the functioning of the preventive measures concerning fire safety in the many-storied public buildings. It goes without saying the authorities will have to carry out a probe so that such events are not repeated in the future.
For the time being, the representatives are trying to establish the list of the deceased and assist the relatives of these unfortunate people.