18 Killed in China Karaoke Lounge Fire

Beijing: A fire tore through a karaoke lounge in southern China today, killing 18 people and injuring another five, according to state media.

The blaze took place in Qingyuan City, Guangdong province, the official Xinhua news agency said in a brief report, citing local police. Deadly fires are common in China, where safety regulations are widely flouted and enforcement is often lax.

A blaze that killed 38 people at a nursing home in 2015 sparked soul-searching about safety standards in China. Courts jailed 21 people, including firefighters and government staff, over the fire last year.

AFP