Jiangxi authorities detain 12 for fire that killed 39

Twelve people have been detained for a fire that engulfed a building in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, local authorities said on Thursday. The blaze left 39 dead and injured nine.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a violation of regulations in construction work during the decoration of underground cold storage, authorities told a news conference on Thursday.

Police detained 12 individuals blamed for the accident.

The fire broke out at 3:24 pm on Wednesday in the basement of a street shop on Tiangongnan Road in Yushui district, Xinyu city.

The fire, too intense to be promptly extinguished, led to thick smoke spreading to the second floor that housed an educational training institution and a hotel. The trapped individuals were mainly students attending educational training classes and guests staying at the hotel, said officials.

Rescue efforts began at around 3:30 pm and continued until 8:50 pm. A total of 118 firefighters and 20 fire and rescue vehicles were rushed to the scene.

Late on Wednesday, experts conducted remote, case by case consultations with the hospitals treating the injured. Together with local medical staff workers, they assessed the injuries, offered psychological counseling to the injured, and formulated treatment plans tailored to each individual, the National Health Commission said.