[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Min-young] A fire broke out in a high-rise apartment in Urumqi, the central city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, killing 10 people.
According to China Central Television (CCTV) on the 25th, the fire in a high-rise apartment in Urumqi was extinguished after 2 hours and 45 minutes at around 7:49 PM the previous day.
Ten apartment residents died after inhaling toxic gas and being transported to the hospital.
Another nine residents are also receiving treatment at the hospital, but their lives are not in danger.
The fire department reported that the fire, which started on the 15th floor of the apartment and spread to the upper floors, caused extensive damage due to the widespread toxic gas.
Authorities are investigating the exact cause based on initial on-site investigations and witness statements, concluding that the fire started due to electrical factors.
China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that the area where the fire occurred was currently a low-risk COVID-19 zone, so residents were not under lockdown and could go outside.
However, Bloomberg News reported that videos circulated on social media (SNS) showing fire trucks struggling to approach the building, spraying water from a somewhat distant location, and people moving obstacles. There are suspicions that installations placed to lock down the apartment as part of strengthened COVID-19 prevention measures hindered the rapid extinguishing of the fire.
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