5 dead, 3 injured in building fire in East China

HEFEI -- Five people were killed and three others injured in a building fire in East China's Anhui province, local authorities said Friday.

At around 6:57 a.m. on Friday, the fire brigade in the city of Bengbu received a call that a fire broke out in the city's Longzihu district.

Five first-floor shops of a residential building were ablaze and the fire expanded to some parts of the second floor, covering a total of around 150 square meters.

Rescuers found 25 people from the site, among which eight were sent to the hospital for treatment. Five people died, one is under treatment in the intensive care unit, and the other two are slightly injured.

The fire was put out at 7:50 am. Further investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.