22 killed, 3 injured in restaurant fire in northeastern China

At least 22 people were killed and three others injured in a restaurant fire in northeastern China, according to local officials.

The blaze broke out around 12:25 p.m. local time on Monday at a restaurant in the Baita District of Liaoyang, a city in Liaoning Province, according to a statement from China’s Emergency Management Bureau.

Emergency responders from the fire department, police, health, and emergency services arrived at the scene shortly after the fire started. The flames were extinguished by approximately 12:43 p.m.

Authorities said 22 people were killed in the incident. Three others were injured and transported to a hospital, where they remain in stable condition.

According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, the person in charge of the restaurant has been taken into police custody. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The restaurant was a two-story brick-and-concrete structure with an area of approximately 2,800 square feet (260 square meters), authorities said.

Footage of the fire showed intense flames engulfing both floors of the building, while images taken afterward revealed extensive damage, with little remaining beyond the bare structure.

Eyewitnesses told reporters from Jimu News that the fire spread quickly due to strong winds at the time.