Six people have been confirmed dead after a shoe plant fire on Wednesday in Wenzhou, a leading manufacturing base in east China's Zhejiang Province, the local government said yesterday.

The fire took place at 6:00 PM at Kejianshun Shoe Plant, an unlicensed workshop in Panqiao Township of Ouhai District.

Before the fire engines arrived, a team of voluntary firefighters had put the blaze out with the help of local residents.

Wenzhou fire brigade sources said the high density of flammable gas from combustible shoemaking materials and poor ventilation in the workshop were probably to blame.

One migrant worker named Li said there are many unlicensed workshops in Panqiao and they all keep windows and doors shut to avoid detection.

Xinhua News Agency reported today that the local government is working on a compensation scheme for victims' families and the public security authorities are investigating the cause.

(Xinhua News Agency November 3, 2005)