Shenzhen fire victims identified

SHENZHEN - The identity of the 16 victims of a fire in a market in south China's Shenzhen city have been confirmed.

The fire broke out in a wholesale agricultural market in Guangming New District at about 1:30 a.m., leaving 16 people dead including an infant girl, and five more injured.

The manager of the market is in police custody.

The fire was contained in about two hours, but not before engulfing an area of 1,000 square meters.

Guo Feng, an official of the Guangming New District, said the fire started in a temporary construction built in 2008.

Zhang Xiaowei, spokesman for the city fire department, said all of the victims were people associated with four stores in Rongjian Farmers' Market.

Security guard Wang Long, who discovered the fire, said many shop owners and their families live in the market and store their goods there to start business in the early morning.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.