Eleven people were killed and 16 injured in a restaurant fire in Chaoyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, local government reported on Sunday.

 

The fire broke out at 7:50 PM on Saturday, engulfing the Baixinglou Restaurant. The fire was extinguished by 9:00 PM, according to Li Jingming, an official with the municipal publicity department.

 

The victims include diners and staff in the restaurant. The injured have been taken to two local hospitals and are in stable condition.

 

Baixinglou is one of the city's popular restaurants.

 

An initial investigation found that improper handling of an oven in the kitchen started the fire.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2007)