Market fire claims 6 lives, injures 12 more

Shanghai - A fire at a Shanghai market on Sunday has claimed at least six lives, while injuring a dozen more according to fire officials.

The official Xinhua state media is reporting the fire was discovered around 8:30 p.m. local time at the Shanghai agricultural products central wholesale market. The market is Shanghai's largest wholesale market, open 24 hours a day. Eight people were admitted to the Changhai Hospital for severe to moderate burns according to the South China Morning Post. One of the victims, a 57-year-old woman, reportedly suffered burns to an estimated 85 percent of her body. She also suffered severe smoke inhalation. A 9-year-old girl also sustained severe smoke inhalation, along with burns over 45 percent of her body. The People's Daily reports that fire officials are still searching the chard debris for additional casualties. The cause of the fire has not been determined as of this time.