India, July 10 -- At least 28 people were killed after a massive fire ripped through a shoe factory in China's southeastern Fujian province, prompting President Xi Jinping to order a full investigation into the country's latest major industrial disaster.

The blaze broke out on Thursday at the Huiteng shoe factory in Jinjiang, a major manufacturing hub often referred to as China's "shoe capital." Of the 239 people inside the five-storey factory at the time of the incident, 213 were safely evacuated, while 28 people lost their lives, including two who later succumbed to injuries in hospital.

Initial investigations indicate that the fire started on the ground floor and spread rapidly due to highly flammable materials and adhesives used in ...