At least 28 have been killed in a shoe factory fire in China, according to state media.Many people were believed to be trapped inside the factory when the blaze broke out about 12pm local time.Chinese fire and rescue personnel raced to tackle the fire at the Huiteng Shoes factory in the country's east, dispatching 183 people and 35 vehicles to the scene.Footage shared by state television CCTV showed firefighters dousing the facade and interior of a large, multi-story white building with fire hoses, as thick black smoke pours out.Earlier, President Xi Jinping said the fire had resulted in "heavy human losses" and called for increased search and rescue efforts."The cause of the accident should be identified as soon as possible and… those responsible must be strictly held accountable," he said.Live footage aired by state media showed the charred multi-story building with thick grey smoke billowing from broken windows with some people taking refuge near the windows and on the roof of the building.China launched a campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings in November, after a huge blaze engulfed several tower blocks in Hong Kong, killing 168 people.A month later, a fire at a residential building in southern China's Guangdong province killed 12 people.AFP