China really needs to improve its safety procedures, there are far too many incidents like this ![Facepalm :facepalm: :facepalm:](https://media.freeones.com/forum/data/assets/smilies/picardfacepalm.gif)
![Facepalm :facepalm: :facepalm:](https://media.freeones.com/forum/data/assets/smilies/picardfacepalm.gif)
Towering inferno of Shanghai: 40 dead as 28-storey apartment block is engulfed in flames
At least 40 people have been killed by a blazing fire in a high-rise residential building in the business centre of Shanghai, on the east coast of China.
A further 90 people were also injured in the incident, which took place at 2pm local time (6am GMT) today in the Jingan district.
Building materials caught fire, and the blaze spread to scaffolding and then to the 28-storey building, home to retired teachers, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
More people could have been hurt, but the 28-storey apartment block was being renovated.
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Inferno: At least 40 people have been killed in a fire in the business district of Shanghai - 80 fire engines were scrambled but their water jets made little impact on the blaze, as shown here
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Raging: Many were rushed to Jing'an district hospital while the fire service battled with the flames
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Blaze: The 28-storey building was being renovated, and initial reports suggest that it was the scaffolding which caught fire first
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Helpless: The fire, which began at 2pm local time on Monday, lasted for hours as fire fighters struggled to deal with the blaze
More than 80 fire trucks were scrambled to battle the inferno, which engulfed the entire building with flames and smoke.
And eye-witnesses reported seeing people jumping from windows to escape the flames, while others could be seen clinging to the badly burnt scaffolding.
One resident said that he and his wife were asleep in their 23rd floor apartment when they smelled smoke.
He said they climbed down the scaffolding four storeys before being rescued by firefighters.
Workmen were installing energy-saving insulation when the fire broke out.
City officials said 100 people were rescued, but it was not clear if that included the 90 who were injured. Those hurt in the fire were taken to the Jingan district hospital for treatment.
A doctor at the hospital said more than 20 seriously hurt people had been admitted for treatment.
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Danger: Ninety people, it is believed, were injured in the fire, and a doctor at the Jing'an Hospital said that more than 20 seriously hurt people had been admitted for treatment
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Horror: People watch from the safety of the road as flames and smoke engulf the building - in the background three of the 80 fire engines used to fight the fire are shown
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Leaping to death: Eye-witnesses reported seeing people jumping from windows to escape the flames, while others could be seen clinging to the badly burnt scaffolding
Watch Video Here
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ment-block-engulfed-flames.html#ixzz15NKBLbP0