Factory Fire Kills at Least 38 In Central China

Image copyright: Chinese State Media [via The Guardian]

The Facts

  • A massive fire at a factory in the city of Anyang in central China's Henan province killed at least 38 people on Monday, injured two others, and left two people missing.

  • The fire broke out on Monday afternoon at a factory of Kaixinda Trading Company, and was brought under control several hours later. Many of the victims are said to have been women manufacturing cotton-made winter clothing and pants.


The Spin

Anti-China narrative

This latest fatal incident underscores China's inability or unwillingness to successfully implement workplace safety standards given a spate of industrial accidents. Added to this corruption and immense cost pressures. Beijing must finally start valuing human life over competitiveness.

Pro-China narrative

Those responsible for this tragedy must be held accountable. That said, China is taking great strides to increase workplace safety through strict, long-term measures at the administrative and corporate levels. And it has been successful: within a decade, the number of workplace accidents and fatalities has dropped drastically.


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