A drone photo taken on Oct 19, 2024 shows the site of a self-built house fire in Wangwei village of Huainan city, East China's Anhui province. [Photo/Xinhua]
The death toll from a house fire that broke out in the city of Huainan in East China's Anhui province on Saturday morning has risen to nine, with the on-site search and rescue concluded, according to the local emergency management bureau.
Two people who were previously reported missing in the fire have been found and confirmed dead.
The fire broke out at a four-story property in Panji district. The upper two floors, constructed of steel, were destroyed in the blaze.
Firefighters told national broadcaster China Central Television that the house accommodated workers from a nearby construction project.
On Sunday, the homeowner's wife, surnamed Hu, told Jimu News that her husband had been taken away by the police for investigation.
The blaze was first noticed by a resident on the ground floor, who raised the alarm after a power outage sparked the flames. Some occupants attempted to extinguish the fire, however, it rapidly intensified leading to a collapse of the structure and trapping several individuals. The collapsed area spanned approximately 1,000 square meters.
Reports from Jimu News said that two of the survivors, Li Hua and his cousin Li Bing, both in their 50s from Zhumadian, Henan province, had been working at a nearby construction site for nearly a year and resided in the ill-fated property.
Li Hua told reporters that some of the victims were their fellow townsfolk. The property had been rented out by the management company of the construction project several kilometers from the site where they worked.
"This was the first time I'd experienced such a massive fire, and the memory still terrifies me," Li Hua said, recounting his and his cousin's escape.
According to a statement released on the official WeChat account of the Huainan fire department, ensuring fire safety in properties used for production and living has been a focal point of local comprehensive governance in recent years.
Last year, local authorities conducted inspections on 16 key locations, including factories, warehouses, high-rise buildings, nursing homes and self-built houses used for production and living, identifying and addressing 26 significant fire hazards.
Investigations into the cause of the incident are underway, and efforts are now focused on treating the injured and managing the aftermath.
