Sixteen people were killed in a fire at a department store in Sichuan province in China's southwest on Wednesday evening, state media said on Thursday.
The fire broke out in a 14-storey building in a high-tech zone of the city of Zigong, shrouding the vicinity with thick smoke, according to the Xinhua news agency.
Overnight rescue work ended at 3:00 a.m. (1900 GMT on Wednesday), state broadcaster CCTV said.
Preliminary investigation showed the fire was due to construction operations. Further investigation was underway to identify the specific cause of the fire.

One dead, several injured in Iranian attack on Manama building
Russian drones injure 20 in Ukraine's Kharkiv, Dnipro
Trump says war could be over soon, as Iran rallies behind new leader
Saudi Arabia, Jordan condemn attack on UAE consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan
Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei as new supreme leader
Indonesia says 7 killed in landfill collapse as rescue operation ends
Trump says he is 'nowhere near' deciding to send troops to Iran
Lebanon parliament extends its own mandate for two years as war intensifies
