The death toll from a commercial building fire in east China's Zhejiang Province has risen from seven to 14, rescuers said Thursday.

The blaze broke out at about 4:30 AM on Thursday in the five-storey Fuyin Mansion at Zhili Town, Wuxing District, Huzhou City, rescuers said.

The local government dispatched a fleet of 18 fire engines and nearly 100 firemen to the site and about 150 residents living near the building were evacuated. The fire was put out at 11 AM.

The fire left a blackened building with smoke billowing from windows. Masked firemen were seen searching for people Thursday afternoon.

The building is home to 18 people. Two people were rescued from a window on the fifth floor, rescuers said. It was not immediately known whether the two people not accounted for were in the building or not when the fire broke out.

The bottom three floors of the building are department stores that have a large stock of garments and the upper two floors are used for offices and accommodation.

Zhili is a well-known manufacturing center for children's clothes.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2006)