Three people died in a nightclub fire Thursday night in Chengde City of north China's Hebei Province, the local government said Friday.

The fire started at about 11:30 p.m. and was extinguished in about one hour, a city government spokesman said.

The local fire brigade received reports that three men were trapped in the fire at the Golden Sun Nightclub. Ninety firemen and 16 fire engines and police vehicles were mobilized, the spokesman said.

The victims were dead when rescuers found them at about 1 a.m. Their identities were unknown.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known and police were seeking the club's managers.

At an emergency meeting Friday, the city government ordered inspections for potential fire hazards at all public venues, including karaoke bars, dance clubs, cyber cafes, hotels and department stores.

(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2009)