At least 22 people lost their lives and three others sustained injuries following a devastating fire that erupted at a restaurant in northern China on Tuesday afternoon, as reported by Chinese state media.
The incident occurred around 12:25 p.m. local time in the city of Liaoning, according to reports from the state-run Xinhua News Agency and national broadcaster CCTV.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out efforts to treat the injured, assist victims’ families and investigate the cause of the fire,” Xinhua and CCTV reported.
While investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze, the Associated Press noted that images from the scene revealed towering flames shooting out from the windows and doors of the multi-story building, believed to be two or three stories high.
