High-Rise Fire Kills 14: Blaze rips through Taiyuan tower; authorities probe cause amid safety drive

A fire that engulfed a high-rise building in Taiyuan, the capital of China's northern Shanxi province, on Sunday claimed 14 lives, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.The blaze broke out at around 4:59 pm local time (0859 GMT) in a building in downtown Taiyuan, according to state media reports.According to news agency Reuters, firefighters brought the flames under control approximately two hours after the incident.

Rescue operations were completed by 8:30 pm, with 38 people evacuated and taken to hospital for treatment.

Five fatalities had been confirmed by late Sunday night, but the death toll subsequently rose to 14.Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, state media reported on Monday.According to channel news asia, China initiated a nationwide drive to address fire safety risks in high-rise buildings last November, following a devastating blaze that swept through multiple residential towers in Hong Kong, claiming 168 lives.