A fire broke out at a Chinese-owned gold mining site near Lang Se town in Tsawlaw Township, Chipwi District, Kachin State, injuring three Chinese nationals.

Local authorities from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which controls Lang Se, said the fire started at the Sutkaba Company’s mining site at around 5:00 p.m. on February 2 due to a short circuit in a heater.

“Two of the three injured are in serious condition, while the other sustained only minor injuries. The two seriously injured victims were sent to China for treatment. Initial reports indicate that the fire was sparked by a short circuit in an electric heater,” a KIA official in Lang Se said.

Aside from the three injuries, there was no significant damage to the mining site.

The two men hospitalized in China suffered extensive burns across their bodies.

Sutkaba Company, which operates the mining site where the fire occurred, was established as a joint venture between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), the political wing of the KIA, and Chinese businessmen. The fire broke out in the company’s Site A zone.

“The fire was quickly contained and didn’t spread across the entire site. Only three people were injured, and no mine workers were harmed. However, a structure used to store gunpowder was reduced to ashes,” the KIA official added.

In Lang Se, the KIO has granted gold mining permits to several Chinese and Wa companies, which are actively carrying out mining operations.