Firefighters were working to reach people trapped in a burning shoe factory in Jinjiang in China’s Fujian province on Thursday, with state media reporting an unknown number of casualties.

The fire broke out around noon in Jinjiang, a major footwear manufacturing hub often referred to as China’s “shoe capital,” according to the state broadcaster CCTV. Videos released by CCTV showed flames engulfing a multi-storey factory and thick black smoke rising into the sky. Several people appeared to be trapped on the rooftop.

In a directive issued later on Thursday, Xi Jinping urged an “all-out rescue effort” and said the blaze had “caused significant casualties,” suggesting the fire may have resulted in heavy loss of life. Fire and rescue teams dispatched 183 people and 35 vehicles to the scene, and CCTV said open flames had largely been extinguished by around 5 a.m. local time, after which rescue work continued.

Preliminary findings cited by CCTV indicated the fire likely started on the ground floor. The building stored shoe-making materials that are highly flammable, and officials said adhesives and related materials could cause the fire to spread rapidly. CCTV also said the smell at the site was strong enough to cause eye irritation.

Jinjiang is a large manufacturing center for footwear and apparel, with official data cited by Reuters indicating the city produced more than 1.2 billion pairs of shoes in 2024, accounting for about 20% of global output.