Massive fire engulfs skyscraper in China's Changsha 

Beijing: A massive fire has broken out in a skyscraper in the central Chinese city of Changsha on Friday, state media have reported. 

According to details, the blaze engulfed a tall building that housed an office of state-owned telecommunications company. 

“Thick smoke is spewing from the site, and several dozen floors are burning ferociously,” the state broadcaster CCTV reported.

“Firefighters have begun work to extinguish the flames and conduct rescues at the scene,” it added

A photograph released by CCTV showed flames searing through the building in a built-up area of the city, as black smoke billowed into the sky.

A video posted on social media appeared to show the outside of the tower charred black.

This afternoon, the building of China Telecom building in Changsha长沙caught fire, no casualties reported yet, stay safe everyone! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/QNnezk2Mxk

— China in Pictures (@tongbingxue) September 16, 2022

The 218-metre (715-foot) building was completed in 2000 and is located near a major ring road, where lax enforcement of building codes and rampant unauthorized construction can make it difficult for people to flee burning buildings.

In July last year, a warehouse fire in northeastern Jilin province killed at least 15 people and injured at least 25, according to state media reports.