Fire in Taiyuan high-rise kills 14 and injures dozens

Casualties and rescue timeline

The blaze erupted around five pm in the Haosheng International Apartment building located in downtown Taiyuan. Firefighters extinguished the flames by seven pm after two hours of intense work on site. Rescue operations concluded at 8:30 pm with thirty-eight individuals transported to local hospitals for treatment. By Monday morning, official reports confirmed the death toll had risen to fourteen people from the initial count.

Building structure and fire spread

The forty-storey structure is a mixed-use property containing flats, hotels, short-term rentals, tutoring centres and smaller venues. Video images verified by Reuters showed smoke billowing over the building as firefighters worked from cranes outside. Authorities stated the fire started on the fourth floor of a lower annex before moving upward. Flames spread to the eighth and ninth floors which house a hotel according to state broadcaster reports.

Hospital status and investigation

State media reported that twenty-five people remained in hospital with nine suffering serious injuries on Monday. The Yingze district government said all-out efforts are being made to treat the injured residents. Officials stated that follow-up work is currently under way regarding the aftermath of this disaster. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire in this northern manufacturing hub.