At least eight people have died and 15 are injured after a fire broke out at a food market in northern China, according to state media.
The fire at the Liguang market in the city of Zhangjiakou broke out at midday on Saturday and had been mostly extinguished two hours later, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing a government official in Qiaoxi district where the market is located.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, the report said.
Traditional food markets are often crowded with shoppers seeking prices lower than the ones found in supermarkets.
Fire sources can range from gas bottles to charcoal used to roast meat and discarded cigarettes, while ageing infrastructure, such as underground gas lines, have also been blamed for fires and explosions.
Zhangjiakou, located in Hebei province bordering Beijing, hosted events during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Source: theguardian.com
