16 dead in east China factory fire

A fire broke out at 2:52 p.m. in a shoe factory, leaving at least 16 people dead, in Wenling City of east China's Zhejiang Province, on Jan. 14, 2014. [Photo: China News Service / Lin Gensheng]

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.