China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead.
Special attention will be paid to buildings undergoing external wall renovations and interior modifications, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.
"We must comprehensively strengthen fire safety management of high-rise buildings to effectively protect people's lives and property," the ministry said.
The State Council Work Safety Committee has issued a notice to local authorities launching the inspection, it said.
Chinese authorities remain sensitive to incidents affecting social stability, following a devastating blaze in China's Xinjiang region in 2022 that killed 10 people and triggered nationwide protests amid strict COVID-19 restrictions.
The Hong Kong fire poses a major test to Beijing's grip on the city, and Beijing is moving quickly to show that it attaches the utmost importance to the tragedy.
The announcement of the inspection campaign outlines four key inspection areas, including scrutiny of flammable materials used in external wall insulation systems, banned construction materials such as bamboo scaffolding, fire safety equipment, and emergency evacuation routes.
Local authorities must conduct thorough inspections and take "immediate corrective actions" when safety hazards are identified, according to the statement.
"Strict enforcement measures will be taken against serious violations, and those failing to eliminate major safety hazards will be held accountable," the emergency ministry said.
The Hong Kong fire, which started on Wednesday, rapidly engulfed seven of eight 32-storey blocks at an apartment complex undergoing renovation with bamboo scaffolding and foam insulation materials.
China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at ...
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The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
U.S. investigators have recovered the black box recorders from the wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in flames on takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky. At least twelve people died. The crash sent a wall of fire into an industrial corridor and forced the shutdown of the airport.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
Rescuers in Sri Lanka are racing against rising floodwaters and treacherous terrain today after a powerful storm system slammed into the island nation, killing at least 46 people and displacing tens of thousands in a disaster that threatens to strain the country’s resources.
The Spanish agricultural sector has been placed on high alert following the confirmation that African Swine Fever (ASF) has resurfaced in the country for the first time in over thirty years.
The death toll from floods and landslides following cyclonic rains in the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country's disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, up from a previous figure of 174.
Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a massive fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.
The global recall of Airbus A320 aircraft has triggered widespread disruption across several major airlines, forcing flight cancellations in the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Pope Leo visited Istanbul’s Blue Mosque on Saturday, stepping inside one of the most iconic sites of the Muslim world. He removed his shoes at the entrance in a gesture of respect. He did not appear to pray.
Russian drones and missiles struck several districts of Kyiv early on Saturday, killing one person and injuring more than a dozen. Fires swept through residential blocks as debris rained over the city.
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