At least 53 people have been confirmed killed in a fire that gutted a high-rise apartment in China's commercial hub Shanghai, and the minister of police warned on Tuesday of that such accidents may happen more often. The minister Meng Jianzhu made the warning after inspecting the 28-storey apartment building where the fire broke out on Monday afternoon while in the middle of renovations.
China's rapid urban growth is throwing up vast numbers of new high-rise buildings, and while major fire disasters have been relatively rare compared to other developing countries, safety maintenance can be lacking. Meng said fire risks were rising.