A devastating residential fire in Shantou City, Guangdong province has resulted in eight fatalities and four injuries, according to local authorities. The blaze erupted at approximately 9:21 PM on Tuesday evening in Chaonan District and was successfully contained by firefighters around 10:00 PM.
Emergency responders immediately transported all injured individuals to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Preliminary investigations indicate the affected structure was a four-story self-built concrete building with approximately 150 square meters of area damaged by the fire.
The Chaonan District fire department confirmed the casualty figures in an early Wednesday statement while noting that the specific cause of the incident remains under active investigation. The tragedy has prompted local officials to establish an independent judge-chaired commission to conduct a comprehensive fire investigation.
This incident represents one of the deadliest residential fires in the region in recent memory, raising concerns about fire safety standards in self-built structures throughout southern China. The community has begun mourning the victims while authorities work to determine the factors that contributed to the catastrophic outcome.