Ten die in high-rise appartment fire in China
A fire in an apartment building in north-west China’s Xinjiang region has killed ten people and injured nine, authorities said.
It is the second major fire accident in the country this week, leaving a total of 48 dead.
The fire broke out on Thursday night in the regional capital of Urumqi, where temperatures have dropped to below freezing after dark.
Flames spread upwards from the point of origin on the 15th floor to the 17th floor, with smoke billowing up to the 21st floor, according to multiple state media reports.
The blaze took around three hours to put out.
The deaths and injuries were caused by inhalation of toxic fumes, with those taken to hospital all expected to survive, the reports said.
An initial investigation appears to show the fire was sparked from an extension lead in a bedroom of one of the 15thfloor apartments, they said.