Firefighters Rescue 2 From Burning Chinese Factory

Firefighters successfully rescued two workers trapped inside a burning handicraft factory in southeastern China nearly five hours Monday, local media report.

The trapped workers were contacted by telephone by the Shangjie Fire Department and told how best to protect themselves until they could be reached.

Sometime after 6 a.m., fire broke out at the factory in Minhou County. The building was a three-story-tall reinforced concrete structure of about 220 square meters containing a heavy fire load of combustible wooden furniture and boards.

Responders were told to concentrate on a strong offensive attack that allowed for both rescuing people and extinguishing the fire at the same time.

Water monitors were used to first block the fire, allowing for search and rescue teams to climb to a third-floor window to reach those trapped. Firefighters grew concerned that thin sheet of sheet iron covering the building would melt before the window could be reached.

By 11:14 a.m., all flames had been extinguished. No cause has been established for the fire.