5 firefighters killed in NE China warehouse blaze

The death toll of a fire in northeast China has climbed to five as the bodies of two missing firefighters have been found, local authorities said on Saturday.

In total, five firefighters were killed and and another 14 were injured in the warehouse blaze in Harbin city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, according to rescuers.

Of the deceased firefighters, the youngest was 18 years old and the oldest 22.

The firemen were buried by debris while trying to put out the fire, which burnt down the third floor of a market warehouse at the Beifangnanxun ceramics market at about 10 p.m.on Friday, burying firemen on the second floor, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene.

The 14 injured firemen were rushed to hospital. Three of them were in critical condition.

The warehouse is part of a 11-story residential building. The first to third floor are used as warehouses and the rest eight floors are residential areas.

The fire, which broke out at about 1 p.m., has yet to be put out. Residents nearby have been evacuated.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.