19 people killed in forest fire in China

At least 19 people, including 18 firefighters, were killed while battling a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province, state-run media reported on Tuesday.

The fire started on a local farm at 3.51 pm on Monday and quickly spread to the nearby mountains due to the strong winds, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Those killed include 18 firefighters and a local forest farm worker who led the way for the firefighters. They were trapped in the fire due to a sudden change in the wind direction, the report said.

Over 300 professional firefighters and 700 militiamen were sent to help, the report said, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Almost a year ago in the same province, at least 30 people, including 27 firefighters, were killed while battling a huge forest fire in the remote mountains in southwest China's Sichuan province.