2011-01-14 14:10

GUANGZHOU - A fire engulfed a roadside store in South China's Guangdong province on midnight Thursday, leaving eight people dead and one injured, local firefighters said Friday.

The fire at 11:31 pm Thursday broke out in a hardware store on the first floor of a five-story building in Zhangmutou township, Dongguan city, the provincial fire brigade said in a statement.

Three were found dead at the scene and five died later at hospital, it said.

Firefighters put out the fire at 0:20 am Friday and also managed to evacuate 14 people, including one injured, who live on the floors above the 100-square-meter store.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.