SHANGHAI, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A fire in a high-rise apartment building in Shanghai Monday killed at least 53 people and injured more than 70, officials said.
The 28-story building at Jiaozhou and Yuyao roads in the Jing'an district was being renovated when its scaffolding caught fire around 2:15 p.m., Xinhua reported.
The building is a residence for teachers, many of them retired.
The fire was mostly extinguished by 6:30 p.m. and firefighters were searching for survivors, officials said.
The number of injured was not immediately known but hospitals reported taking in more than 90 rescued people.
Thick smoke hampered rescue efforts by at least three helicopters hovering over the building's roof, Xinhua reported.
Firefighters from 25 brigades used more than 60 fire engines to fight the fire. More than 100 people were evacuated from the building, which is home to 156 families.
A team of investigators operating under China's cabinet will try to determine the cause of the fire, Chinese Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu said Tuesday.
