14 killed, more than 30 injured in fire at apartment building in China

Beijing, November 9 At least 14 people have died and more than 30 others have been injured after a fire broke out at a high-rise building in Taiyuan, the capital of China’s northern Shanxi province, on Sunday evening. According to the Yingze District government and state-run news agency Xinhua, the fire started at 4:59 pm local time at the Haosheng International Apartment building in downtown Taiyuan. Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 7 pm after nearly two hours of efforts.

Rescue operations were completed at 8:30 pm. A total of 38 people were taken to hospital on Sunday night, five of whom were confirmed dead. The death toll had risen to 14 by Monday morning, Xinhua reported.

The district government said efforts were underway to treat the injured and that an investigation into the cause of the fire was ongoing. A hotel employee in the building told local media that the fire was believed to have started on the fifth floor, while some people on the eighth floor were injured.