Fire at high-rise building in northern China kills 14

A fire at a 40-storey mixed-use building in Taiyuan, the capital of China's northern Shanxi province, killed 14 people and left 25 others hospitalised, local authorities said on Monday.

A fire at a 40-storey mixed-use building in Taiyuan, the capital of China’s northern Shanxi province, killed 14 people and left 25 others hospitalised, local authorities said on Monday.

The blaze broke out at about 4:59 pm on Sunday in the city’s Yingze district, in a busy downtown area.

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Footage verified by Reuters showed thick smoke billowing from the building as firefighters used cranes to tackle the flames. The fire appeared to have started around the fourth floor of a lower annex before spreading to higher levels, including the eighth and ninth floors, where a hotel is located.

The building also houses apartments, short-term rental accommodation, businesses and tutoring centres.

Firefighters extinguished the flames at about 7:00 pm, and rescue operations ended at 8:30 pm, authorities said.

A total of 38 people were taken to hospital after the fire. Five were initially reported dead, but the death toll had risen to 14 by Monday, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Of the 25 people still receiving treatment, nine were in critical condition and four were seriously injured, while 12 had minor injuries, authorities said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.