Factory fire kills at least 36 people in central China, state media reports

A fire at a factory in central China killed 36 people on Monday, according to Chinese state-media, the latest in a string of fatal industrial accidents to hit the country in recent years.

State broadcaster CCTV reported Tuesday that two people remain missing and two others were being treated for minor injuries following the blaze at the factory in Anyang, Henan province.

Police have detained an unspecified number of suspects in connection with the blaze, which took firefighters nearly seven hours to put out, according to CCTV.

China has seen a spate of industrial accidents in recent years that have left scores dead, raising concerns about public safety.

In 2015, at least 173 people died after a series of explosions at a chemical warehouse in the northern port city of Tianjin.

Last October, at least three people were killed and more than 30 injured in a powerful explosion at a restaurant in the northeastern city of Shenyang. The gas explosion took place in a mixed-use residential and commercial building.

And in June this year, at least one person was killed after a fire broke out at a petrochemical complex in Shanghai.