A restaurant fire killed at least 17 people in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province on Wednesday, state-run CCTV reported.
Another three people were injured in the blaze that broke out in a small diner at 12:40 p.m., and all the injured had been taken to hospital, according to the report.
The fire and rescue service reported that the cause of the fire was initially considered to be a gas explosion.
Changchun is known as China’s “City of Automobiles,” an important industrial base with a particular focus on the automotive sector.
Fatal accidents continue to commonly occur in China due to poor design and construction, inadequate safety standards, and insufficient inspections and enforcement.
The actual number of casualties at such events is difficult to verify, as the Chinese regime routinely suppresses or alters information.
In April, 53 people were reportedly killed when an illegally built apartment building and restaurant collapsed in Changsha.
Last July, three people went missing and 11 were injured in a gas explosion after a building partially collapsed in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin.
This reflects that after more than three decades of economic growth, infrastructure has deteriorated, and safety and environmental regulations have been violated.
Reuters and AP contributed to this report
