All-out efforts urged to treat injured in fire

President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to treat people injured in a restaurant fire and swiftly determine the cause of the deadly blaze, which occurred on Tuesday in the city of Liaoyang in Northeast China's Liaoning province, killing at least 22 people.

The fire broke out at 12:25 pm near a residential building in the city's Baita district. As of 2 pm, the incident had resulted in 22 deaths and left three people injured.

Following the incident, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, issued instructions, noting that the fire caused significant casualties and offered profound lessons.

He urged all-out efforts to treat the injured, properly manage the aftermath for the deceased and comfort their families, determine the cause as soon as possible, and hold those responsible accountable according to the law.

According to the emergency management department in Liao-yang, the fire was extinguished at 12:43 pm, and the people who were injured were in stable condition.

Xi emphasized in the instructions that with the May Day holiday approaching, there will be an increase in travel and holiday activities. He asked local governments and relevant departments to enforce safety responsibilities, improve emergency plans and identify potential risks and hazards. The five-day holiday will start on Thursday.

He also called for all regions and relevant departments to resolutely prevent and curb major accidents, effectively ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and maintain overall social stability.

Premier Li Qiang also issued instructions, stressing that the State Council's Work Safety Committee should guide and urge all local authorities and relevant departments to thoroughly inspect for safety hazards, strengthen the implementation of safety production measures, and strictly prevent major accidents.

Following instructions from the top leadership, the Ministry of Emergency Management sent a working group to the scene to guide emergency response efforts.

The Liaoning provincial and the Liaoyang city governments mobilized resources to carry out rescue and response operations, sending 22 fire engines and 85 firefighters.

The city's publicity authority was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying that the person in charge of operating the restaurant has been taken into custody by the police.

It added that on-site rescue operations have concluded, and the fire investigation and post-incident response are underway.

Wu Yong in Shenyang contributed to this story.