40 die in Shanghai apartment inferno
A high-rise apartment building being renovated in China’s business centre of Shanghai was engulfed by fire today, killing at least 40, and injuring dozens more.
Building materials caught fire, and the blaze spread to scaffolding and then to the 28-storey building, home to retired teachers, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
More than 80 fire engines were called to battle the blaze and they managed to extinguish it after six hours.
One resident said that he and his wife were asleep in their 23rd floor apartment when they smelled smoke. He said they climbed down the scaffolding four storeys before being rescued by firefighters.
Workmen were installing energy-saving insulation when the fire broke out.
