At 9:46 PM on December 23, a fire broke out at a factory building covering a floor space of 2,000 square meters, on Beijiudao Street in the Daowai District of Harbin, the capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Several groups of fire fighters were organized for rescue work.

Flames leaped up after the China News Service reporters rushed to the spot, causing the fire to spread and catch a neighboring building on fire. Firefighters have saved 6 people from the burning building and more than 30 residents have been evacuated.

At 1:00AM on December 24 rescue work was still under way. The extent of the casualties is still unknown.

(China.org.cn December 24, 2007)