Thirteen killed in apartment fire in central Chinese city

At least 13 people were killed and four others injured when a fire razed through a seven-storey building in central China's Henan province on Thursday.

The fire erupted on the ground floor of the building in downtown Zhengzhou, Henan's capital. Reports said the deaths occurred on the top floor of the building, meaning the victims likely died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

The building contains to some 30 to 40 households, witnesses said. The fire broke out in an electricity meter box, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The four injured were being treated for burn injuries at an area hospital.

The fire, the cause of which remains unknown, was put out this morning. Apartments in China are not properly maintained, and improper wiring and bad ventilation are often blamed for major accidents. 

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