A fire that broke out in a residential building in southern China killed 12 people, state media reported today. The blaze at the four-storey building in Shantou, Guangdong province, erupted around 9:20 pm on Tuesday, and was extinguished just after 10:00 pm, the local fire department said in a statement.
Initial reports today’s morning said eight were killed, with four injured taken to the hospital, but State media outlet Xinhua later said a total of 12 people had been killed.
The deaths come after China launched a campaign against fire hazards in high-rise buildings following the Hong Kong blaze last month.
