Massive Fire in China Destroys Office Tower

A powerful fire destroyed the office tower of China’s largest mobile operator on Sept. 16 in the city of Changsha, the capital of the southern Chinese province of Hunan, Reuters reported. 

The fire completely engulfed a building more than 200 meters high in less than 20 minutes. Reports claim about 35 tons of fuel for servers were stored there.

Most likely, the rapid spread of fire on all floors of the structure was caused by this fuel.

Also, one of the reasons for rapid combustion may be the structure itself. The building was built by Broad Sustainable Building Corporation, which specializes in constructing prefabricated houses. It uses universal structural elements, which are then delivered to the site and installed there. According to the builders, such block models can reduce concrete consumption and environmental pollution.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but the number of victims has not yet been reported. The number of victims will likely reach several hundred.

China Telecom is one of the largest Chinese companies. The company specializes in mobile communication services, in particular voice and mobile internet access. In addition, it is engaged in other industrial digital services and sales of goods, such as mobile terminal equipment and wired communication equipment for users.

China Telecom’s industrial digital business includes the industrial cloud, internet data center (IDC), digital platforms, dedicated network lines, the internet of things, and other activities. The company sells its products only to the domestic market.