Fresh Covid questions over Chinese Covid lockdowns after 10 killed in fire at Xinjiang residential block
- State media reports that residents were free to leave the building prompt scepticism online and claims the area was still deemed high-risk
- The fire broke out at a residential building in Urumqi, the regional capital, which has been under lockdown since August
State media reports said the Jixiang residential complex in Tianshan district had been identified as a low-risk area where residents were allowed to “leave the building to conduct activities” downstairs. But these reports were greeted with scepticism online, with web users questioning whether that was really the case.
The fire reportedly broke out at just before 8pm and took about four hours to put out, according to state news agency Xinhua. The fire reportedly began in a 15th floor flat as the result of an electrical malfunction and spread to the 17th floor, with smoke reaching the 21st storey.
A total of 19 people, including the 10 who died, were treated for smoke inhalation. The survivors reportedly suffered non life-threatening injuries and were in a stable condition.
A search by the South China Morning Post into the records from Xinjiang health commission that show changes to risk levels dating back to November 5 failed to find evidence that the Jianxiang complex had been moved to the low-risk level.
