A fire broke out at a shoe factory in Fuzhou, Fujian province on Sunday morning and spread to 20 stores nearby, Southeast Express reported on Dec 22 Monday.

A fire breaks out at a shop factory in Guozhai village in Gaishan town, Fuzhou city, Dec 21. [Photo/Southeast Express]

The fire started at around 6:30 am at the shoe factory in Guozhai village in Gaishan town. It was likely caused by mechanical glitches, according to workers.

Some 20 stores inside a shopping market and residential houses nearby were affected, but no one was injured. The fire was put out by firefighters after two hours.

"I was asleep when I smelt burning of something like plastic products. I then had my son check on it and I heard someone in the street shouting 'fire'," said Mr. Chai, a garment merchant at the market.

Chai claimed that she lost half a million yuan worth of assets in the fire.