Direct material damage from fires in China in January-June amounted to 4.08 billion yuan (more than $570 million at the current exchange rate of the country's central bank). This was announced by Liu Jian, senior manager of the Department of Strategic and Legal Affairs of the State Fire and Rescue Administration of the PRC.

As she clarified at a press conference, this figure is 9.3% lower than in the same period in 2024. “A total of 552,000 fires were recorded [in China in six months]. Their number has actually remained at the same level,” the official added. “1,084 people died and another 1,149 were injured.”

Liu Jian noted that the number of victims and injured in the PRC as a result of fires in six months decreased by 6.2% and 16.9% year-on-year, respectively. She noted that fires in the country were primarily caused by faulty electrical equipment, careless handling of fire in the home, smoking, and uncontrolled sources of fire.