A fire in a housing block in a southern district of Beijing, has killed 19 people and injured eight others. It took firefighters several hours to bring the overnight blaze under control. The cause is not yet known.
However, Beijing police say they have detained a number of suspects. The blaze broke out in Daxing district, an area mostly inhabited by migrant workers from the inner provinces who often require cheaper accommodation.
Firefighters rescued some people inside the premises who have now been taken to hospital
The area where the fire began also hosts several small clothing factories. It took more than 30 fire engines containing 14 firefighting teams more than three hours to extinguish the fire. Some of those trapped inside the building are now being treated in hospital, the fire department said.
Deadly fires are often where safety regulations are often flouted and enforcement rules regularly ignored.