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The corporate face of Shantou in China, where a factory fire has killed 14 people Wikimedia Commons

14 people die in fire at underwear factory

Arson suspected in the blaze in Shantou in south China.

FOURTEEN PEOPLE WERE killed when an arsonist torched an underwear factory in the southern Chinese city of Shantou on Tuesday, state media reported.

A fire broke out at around 3.30pm (07.30 GMT), Guangdong province emergency officials told Xinhua news agency, and was put out half an hour later.

One worker was injured in the blaze and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Police said initial investigations showed the fire had been started deliberately and that a suspect had been arrested on suspicion of torching the building, the Shantou public security bureau said in a statement reported by Xinhua.

Senior officials immediately ordered an inquiry into the incident and ordered safety measures in other factories to be stepped up, while local police said investigations were ongoing.

China is the world’s biggest textile exporter, with the industry’s total export volume worth $192.68 billion in the first three-quarters of the year, according to data from the China Textile Industry Association quoted by Xinhua.

But safety standards are regularly flouted, and workplace accidents remain common despite repeated pledges by the government to improve regulations and oversight.

Nearly 50,000 people were reported to have died in work-related accidents in the first nine months of 2011, according to the State Administration of Work Safety.

A fire at a garment factory on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka last month killed 110 workers.

In September, blazes in the Pakistani port city of Karachi killed over 300 workers.

Read: At least 112 killed in fire at Bangladesh garment factory>
Read: Factory fires kill more than 310 in Pakistan>

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    Mute Oh Mammy
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    Feb 18th 2025, 7:35 AM

    Say not a word till we hear from our very own, resident expert Brendan O Brien. He is fully paid up by all NGOs to tell us what they need us to know about the impending doom we are facing. Take it away Brendan….
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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Feb 18th 2025, 8:16 AM

    @Oh Mammy: I do take issue with wilfully ignorant climate crisis denialists like yourself, because someone has to. Imagining that I must be paid to do so only shows your lack of intelligence. Some of us do care about the planet and the future of humanity even if you don’t.

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    Mute Shea Carroll
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    Feb 18th 2025, 8:29 AM

    @Oh Mammy: Yes he’s being paid by the US Democrats to spread lies about this climate change nonsense. Our glorious new world leader Mr Trump will expose these experts with years of research & science behind them for the charlatans that they are. Yes I would rather believe an anonymous nut job on the Journal than than scientists.

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    Mute qffaffaf affrafrfraf
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    Feb 18th 2025, 7:03 AM

    no coincidence this happened under Trumps watch

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    Mute hans vos
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    Feb 18th 2025, 7:12 AM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: I realy don’t like Trump but this is bull what your saying.

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    Mute Any Name
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    Feb 18th 2025, 7:58 AM

    @qffaffaf affrafrfraf: no doubt your parents are very proud of you! Two brain cells and they speak different languages. People died have a skimmer of respect.

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    Mute FoxyBoiiYT
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    Feb 18th 2025, 8:12 AM

    @Any Name: Ye laughed at people dying in California.

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Feb 18th 2025, 11:28 AM

    @Any Name: Isn’t it the judgement of God on the American people for electing Trump?

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    Mute Hotirish
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    Feb 18th 2025, 2:23 PM

    @hans vos: yes true but only this morning trump confirmed again that climate change is not an issue for him. So he will definitely be majorly at fault in the years ahead.

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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Feb 18th 2025, 10:15 AM

    This is serious stuff wind chill and temperatures hitting rock bottom, now this is a weather warning to avoid at all costs, keep safe and well.

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    Mute Brian Molloy
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    Feb 18th 2025, 8:52 AM

    I bet those states affected by the extreme cold didn’t come to a standstill, Unlike this snowflake of a country where everything comes to a stop with the 1st sprinkle of snow

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