At least 39 people have been killed and nine others injured in a fire at a store in Xinyu, Jiangxi, in China. The total death toll was confirmed as of 6:40 pm (GMT), with 25 people killed and others injured. The fire broke out on the below-ground level, but as of 8:00 pm local time, the state broadcaster CCTV reported that the rescue operation had been concluded, and there were no longer any individuals trapped in the building. Video footage from the scene showed multiple fire trucks and emergency response vehicles arriving at the location.

🔴CHINA 🇨🇳| VIDEO 🎦| A huge fire broke out around 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the basement of a store along Tiangong South Avenue in Xinyu, city of #Jiangxi: at least 39 people died. Footage shows several people trying to escape through burning windows to save their lives. pic.twitter.com/ikqdScLsgo

— Nanana365 (@nanana365media) January 24, 2024

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a statement about the fire, calling for the government and the Communist Party to "resolutely curb the frequent occurrence of various safety accidents". Local government officials have initiated an investigation into the cause of the fire. This is the second fatal fire incident in the country in less than a week, following a fire at a school dormitory in Henan, which claimed the lives of 13 people. Fires and other safety accidents in China have been a concern due to poor enforcement of regulations and lax safety standards.