A fire at a shopping mall in Zigong, a city in southwestern China, killed 16 people, state media confirmed on Thursday.
The blaze broke out around 6 p.m. on Wednesday in a 14-story commercial building, which includes a department store, offices, restaurants, and a movie theatre.
Firefighters and rescuers responded quickly, pulling 75 people to safety, though the rescue efforts were still ongoing.
Videos on social media showed thick black smoke and large flames engulfing the building. Firefighters used water and drones to combat the blaze, which was extinguished after two hours, but rescue operations continued until early Thursday morning.
The cause of the blaze is still unknown, but local authorities suspect it might be linked to ongoing construction work.
This incident draws attention to the persistent problem of fire hazards in China. In the first few months of this year, China reported 947 fire fatalities, a 19% increase from the same period last year.
Fires in public places like hotels and restaurants have risen by 40%, often due to electrical or gas line malfunctions and carelessness.
Earlier this year, fires in Jiangxi and Nanjing killed 39 and 15 people, respectively, caused by alleged unauthorised welding and an electric bike parking lot incident.