China parking shed fire victims identified

HANGZHOU, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Eight victims of a parking shed fire early Wednesday morning in east China's Zhejiang Province have had identities confirmed, local authorities said.

Electric bikes caught fire around 4 a.m. at an outdoor shed in Jiefangtang Community in Yuhuan County, Taizhou City, leaving eight people dead, according to the city's fire department.

The victims include a four-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy, the department said.

They escaped to the corridor of a building while the choking smoke spread, according to the department.

A survivor surnamed Yu said he, his wife and his daughter were sleeping when the fire happened.

"I was woken up by a loud noise and got out of bed immediately," he said. "I looked through the window and saw big fire in the parking shed." Yu and his family jumped out the building with help of others.

Local media reported most people living in the community are migrant workers.

Some 38 firefighters, with seven fire engines, arrived at the site after the accident. The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital. The blaze was put out by 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Further investigation is under way.