The blaze at the Hongfu Hotel was under control in 12 minutes and caused no injuries, according to the Urumqi Fire Bureau.

Sixty firefighters and eight fire trucks were dispatched and arrived three minutes after receiving the call, said Li Junzhong, an official with the bureau.

"Only the outside aluminium sheets of the building were affected. The blaze did not spread into rooms," said Li.

Firefighters said the blaze could have been exacerbated by the hot and windy weather had it not been put out so quickly.

Hongfu Hotel officials said the 12-story guest house was still being decorated and furnished. There were no hotel guests inside.

The fire occurred in the northeastern parts of the sixth floor and spread to the ninth floor, according to Wu Huaying, manager of the Information Sector at the hotel.

The main building of the hotel remained intact, Wu said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation and total property loss has not yet been determined, said Li.

The completion of the hotel will not be hampered by the fire, employees said.

"The building will open business as scheduled in September," said Wu.

(China Daily August 16, 2002)