China: Fire at martial arts school claims 18 lives, mainly children

At least 18 people died and 16 were injured in a fire at a martial arts school in central China in the early hours of Friday, according to a local government statement.

Citing local media, Bangkok Post reported that most of the victims were boarding students aged between 7 to 16. The fire had been extinguished and authorities were investigating the cause of the blaze, as per the statement from the Zhecheng county government.

There were 34 boarding students on the premises when the fire broke out, according to local government staff quoted by local media. The wounded -- four of whom had severe injuries -- were rushed to a local hospital. The manager of the centre in Henan province has been arrested by police, as per a statement.

(ANI)