Haosheng International Apartments fire in Taiyuan kills 14 as survivor says smoke alarm stayed silent

The Taiyuan high-rise fire broke out on Sunday at 4:59 p.m. in the city's Yingze district, according to officials quoted by Xinhua and Reuters. Flames were out by 7 p.m. and crews finished searching the building at 8:30 p.m. The first count that night was five dead and 38 taken to hospital. By Monday Xinhua put the toll at 14, with 25 people still being treated, nine in critical condition and four seriously injured.

Reuters, citing the state broadcaster, reported that the fire appeared to start near the fourth floor of the lower annex and moved up to floors eight and nine, where a hotel operates. The building also holds other hotels, short-term rentals and tutoring centers. A hotel employee told Chinese media he believed it began on the fifth floor, HNGN reported; officials have not confirmed where it started.

A survivor identified only by his surname, Lan, told state media he got no warning. He smelled smoke, watched it creep in through cracks in the walls and found that rising heat had already cut off the way down. NTD, citing an interview carried by the state-run outlet Ifeng, reported that his hotel room had a smoke detector and emergency lighting, but the detector never sounded and the sprinkler heads gave off smoke instead of water. Lan and six other people spent about 40 minutes on a terrace before firefighters reached them with an aerial ladder.

Authorities have restricted the movement of managers at the company that owns the building and of the boss of the firm that manages it, NTD and Caixin reported. Caixin said the management company had earlier been fined over fire-protection deficiencies and lapses in supervising contractor safety. The cause is under investigation, officials have not said how many people were inside, and no charges have been announced. Beijing started a national drive against fire risks in tall buildings in November 2025, after 168 people died in the Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong, HNGN noted.