Deadly Xinjiang fire stirs anger at China's zero-Covid policy
New Indian ExpressTen people were killed and nine injured when the blaze ripped through a residential building in the regional capital Urumqi on Thursday night, according to state news agency Xinhua. Online posts circulating on both Chinese and overseas social media platforms since Friday have claimed that lengthy Covid lockdowns in the city hampered rescue attempts. Footage partially verified by AFP shows hundreds of people massing outside the Urumqi city government offices during the night, chanting: "Lift lockdowns!" A wave of anger simmered on the Weibo social media platform on Friday amid claims that parked electric vehicles left without power during lengthy lockdowns blocked fire engines from entering a narrow road to the burning building. "I'm also the one throwing myself off the roof, trapped in an overturned bus, breaking out of isolation at the Foxconn factory," read one comment referencing several recent incidents blamed on zero-Covid strictures.