22 Killed, 3 Injured in Devastating Restaurant Fire in Liaoyang, China
A tragic fire broke out at a multi-storey restaurant in Liaoyang, a city in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, killing at least 22 people and injuring three others, authorities confirmed on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
The blaze erupted shortly after noon local time, with dramatic footage showing flames bursting from the building’s windows and doors. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
Emergency services responded swiftly, with 22 fire trucks and 85 firefighters deployed to the scene. Videos on Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) showed firefighters battling the blaze and paramedics rushing victims into ambulances.
Hao Peng, secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee, stated that the fire had been extinguished, rescue efforts concluded, and all individuals evacuated from the building.
Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a strong statement in response, calling for “every effort to treat the injured, support the bereaved families, and hold accountable those responsible according to the law.”
The incident adds to a growing list of deadly fires in China in recent months. On April 9, 20 people died in a Hebei Province nursing home fire, while earlier in January, eight people were killed in a vegetable market blaze in Zhangjiakou, and nine more died at a construction site fire in Rongcheng last December.
Industrial and structural fires remain frequent in China, often attributed to poor safety enforcement, inadequate fire exits, and corruption-fueled neglect of building codes and training.
The Chinese government has pledged a thorough investigation into the Liaoyang disaster and has vowed to punish any party found guilty of negligence.
