Fire in China leaves 22 dead

The fire broke out at Chuniang Restaurant in the Baita District of Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province, near the Sanlizhuang resettlement housing complex, a densely populated residential area.

The blaze started at approximately 12:25 p.m. local time on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

The fire claimed 22 lives and injured three others, as reported by state broadcaster CCTV and Xinhua News Agency.

The exact cause of the fire has not been officially confirmed, as investigations are ongoing.

Speculation exists that the fire may be linked to a gas leak, given China’s history of similar incidents, such as a restaurant explosion in Hebei Province in March 2024 that killed two and injured 26.

Reports also suggest that if the fire originated in the kitchen, it could be related to the traditional use of large open fires for cooking with iron woks, a common practice in Chinese restaurants.

Footage from the scene, shared on Chinese social media platforms, showed a two-story restaurant engulfed in bright orange flames, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky.

Images released by Xinhua News Agency depicted significant structural damage, with flames spurting from windows and doors.

A total of 22 fire trucks and 85 firefighters were deployed to extinguish the blaze. Rescue operations were completed swiftly, and nearby residents were evacuated.

Paramedics were seen attending to victims, with footage showing at least one person being transported by ambulance.

The Liaoyang fire is part of a troubling series of deadly fire incidents in China, often attributed to lax building codes, inadequate safety training, and poor enforcement of regulations.

Recent examples include:

• ·        April 9, 2025: A fire at a nursing home in Longhua County, Hebei Province, killed 20 elderly residents.
• ·        January 2025: A fire at a food market in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, killed eight and injured 15.
• ·        July 2024: A shopping mall fire in southwestern China killed 16.
• ·        March 2024: A suspected gas explosion at a restaurant in Hebei Province killed two and injured 26.
• ·        September 2024: An explosion in a high-rise building in Shenzhen Province killed one.