16 dead, 5 injured in China factory fire

Firefighters work with local residents to rescue the workers trapped in a factory fire in Wenling city, East China's Zhejiang province, on Jan 14, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

HANGZHOU - Sixteen people were killed and five others injured in a factory fire on Tuesday in east China's Zhejiang Province, the local government said.

The injured, who have been sent to Wenling City's No.1 People's Hospital, are in stable condition, sources with the city's publicity department said.

The fire broke out at 2:52 p.m. in a shoe factory in the northern part of Wenling City and burned an area of more than 800 square meters, local authorities said.

The fire was put out at 5:40 p.m. and more than 20 people were rescued as of 7 p.m.

Verification of the victims' identities is under way, according to the publicity department.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.