TEHRAN (Tasnim) – At least 26 firefighters died after hundreds were sent to tackle a forest blaze in remote mountains in southwest China’s Sichuan province at the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Nearly 700 firefighters were deployed to battle the fire, which broke out on Saturday on steep terrain at an altitude of around 4,000 metres in Muli County, according to the ministry of emergency management.

Authorities lost contact with 30 firefighters on Sunday afternoon after a sudden change in wind direction ignited a “huge fireball,” the ministry said in a statement, AFP reported.

Rescuers have found 26 bodies and are looking for the other missing crew.

Full story: tasnimnews.com

Tasnim News Agency