Fire at shopping mall in southwest China kills 16 people

A deadly fire broke out at a 14-story commercial building in Zigong, Sichuan province, China on Wednesday evening. The blaze started around 6:00 pm and took nearly 10 hours to be extinguished. Despite efforts from over 300 emergency workers and dozens of vehicles, the fire caused significant damage and resulted in an unknown number of fatalities. Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire was caused by construction work. The building was evacuated, with 75 people led to safety, and about 30 people were rescued from the blaze. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of fire hazards in China, which has reported 947 fire-related fatalities so far this year.