A fire in a shopping mall in northeastern China killed at least 51 people and injured more than 70, state television CCTV said today.
The blaze broke out on the second floor of the five-storey Zhongbai Commercial Plaza, which contained shops, a dancing hall and a bath house, at around 3.20 a.m. (Irish time) in the city of Jilin, China Central Television said.
An official at Jilin's fire fighting team told Reuters the death toll was still being updated.
"More than 30 died, but the final number is being compiled and verified. The CCTV figure may not be accurate," he said.
Jilin is about 950 km (590 miles) from the capital Beijing. Officials were investigating the cause of the fire, which has already been extinguished. Fire fighters were searching for more victims.
The official Xinhua news agency had reported the fire took place in the northeastern city of Changchun.