17 dead, 3 injured as fire rips through restaurant in Jilin

Seventeen people were killed and another three injured in a restaurant fire in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, local authorities said on Wednesday.

The local fire brigade received reports of the incident that occurred in the Changchun high-tech industrial development zone at 12:40 pm on Wednesday.

The fire broke out at Hongyu Xiaoyoubing Baixing Restaurant on Yiju Road, according to the city's official account on Weibo — Changchun Release.

A total of 13 fire engines and 60 firefighters immediately rushed to the site for rescue.

As of 3 pm, on-site search and rescue work had ended. The injured are being treated in a local hospital.

The restaurant's operator was controlled. Further investigation on the fire's cause is underway.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said on Wednesday it has dispatched a team to Changchun to deal with the aftermath of the incident.