Beijing, China (AFP)
A major fire broke out in a skyscraper in the central Chinese city of Changsha, state media reported Friday, adding that the number of casualties was “currently unknown”.
“Thick smoke is spewing from the site, and several dozen floors are burning ferociously,” state broadcaster CCTV reported.
“Firefighters have begun work to extinguish the flames and conduct rescues at the scene,” it added.
The blaze consumed a tall building that housed an office of state-owned telecommunications company China Telecom, the report said.
A photograph released by CCTV showed orange flames searing through the building in a built-up area of the city, as black smoke billowed into the sky.
A video posted on social media by a local news outlet appeared to show the outside of the tower had been charred black.
Telecom building in Changsha, Hunan went on fire
Apparently the paint on the outside caught on fire? The company says that everyone was evacuated safely and hope that's true🙏 pic.twitter.com/gxzpiKR22S
— 🍉 田里的猹 (@melonconsumer) September 16, 2022
Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, has a population of about 10 million people.
© Agence France-Presse
