Seven killed in Chinese factory blaze

Seven people were killed after a fire broke out at a factory in China's Hebei province Wednesday, authorities said.

The blaze, which occurred in the afternoon in Chengde County, trapped several people inside, reported Xinhua citing the government authorities.

Five people trapped inside were suffocated to death. Two others, who were injured while escaping, died later in the hospital after emergency treatment failed, the authorities added.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately ascertained.