8 killed in fire in Chinese city

A fire at a township in Haifeng County of China's southern Guangdong province has left 8 people dead, local officials said today.

The fire broke out in a community in Gongping Township at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday. The flames were doused by 5:30 a.m.

One person died at the spot and another on the way to a hospital. Six others died at the hospital, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This is the third major fire incident in China in recent weeks.

Ten people were killed and and five others injured when a fire broke out at 38th floor of an apartment in Tianjin on December 1.
 

Nineteen people were killed and eight others injured in house fire on November 19.