7 killed in house fire in China

ANKARA

A fire broke out in a multi-story house in central China's Hunan province early Saturday morning, killing at least seven people, Beijing-based Xinhua news agency reported.

The incident occurred around 5:02 a.m. (local time) in a five-story house in Sangzhi County of Zhangjiajie City. The fire broke out on the second floor, according to the county's publicity department.

Seven bodies were found during the rescue operation after the fire was put out.

The authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Fire incidents are not rare in the world's second-most-populated country.

Last month, a house in Huainan city of eastern Anhui province caught fire, killing seven people.

At least 39 people were killed in a fire in a residential building in Xinyu city of Jiangxi province in January this year.