Owner of hotel in China detained after deadly fire

Police have detained the owner of a hotel in northeastern China, where 19 people were killed and 23 others injured in a deadly fire yesterday.

The owner, surnamed Zhang, of Beilong Hot Spring Leisure Hotel in the city's Songbei district in the tourist city of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang Province, is now being questioned, state-run Xinhua news agency quoted the local police officials as saying today.

The deadly fire started in the early hours yesterday.

Firemen evacuated more than 80 people and rescued 20 others trapped in the hotel. The fire was put out over three-and-half-hours later.

The firemen found 18 bodies at the site and a person was declared dead at a hospital.

A total of 23 injured have been admitted in local hospitals. The fire burnt an area of around 400 square meters.

The cause of the fire and the identity of the victims is being investigated, according to the local government.

More than 100 fire fighters and 30 fire engines were sent out in the incident.