At least 11 people died and 51 were hospitalized after a fire in a building in northern China’s Shanxi province on Thursday, state media said.
“The deaths of 11 people have been confirmed, but the exact number of victims is still being determined,” public broadcaster CCTV said.
“A total of 63 people were evacuated, of which 51 were transferred to a local hospital,” the media added.
According to state media reports, the fire broke out at around 6:50 a.m. (10:50 p.m. GMT Wednesday) in a four-story building belonging to the Yongju Coal Company in Luliang city, Shanxi province.
“Rescue operations are still underway and the cause of the fire is under investigation,” they said.
Workplace accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards and poor enforcement.
In July, eleven people died after the roof of a gymnasium collapsed in the northeast of the country.
Last month, an explosion at a restaurant in northwest China killed 31 people, prompting authorities to launch a nationwide campaign to promote workplace safety.
In April, a fire at a Beijing hospital killed 29 people and forced desperate survivors to jump out of windows to escape.