Five detained after Guangzhou high-rise fire

Fire was raging in a high-rise building in downtown Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, on the night of Dec 15, 2013. Several fire engines have arrived at the site trying to put out the blaze. [Photo: China News Service / Chen Jimin]

Five people were placed in police custody after a fire engulfed a high-rise building in downtown Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province, local police said Tuesday.

The five were detained for their suspected roles in the blaze that erupted at the 25-storey Jianye Mansion on Sunday evening, according to police of the city's Yuexiu District.

The fire raged for over 11 hours before being put out at 6 a.m. Monday, enveloping the building in dazzling flames and clouds of black smoke, Xinhua reporters at the site said.

No casualties have been reported, yet the fire has again highlighted the limited ability of some cities to control fires in skyscrapers. Reporters said water from the fire engines only reached the tenth floor of the building.

A total of 58 fire engines and 350 fire fighters were mobilized to extinguish the fire.

On Monday night, a 27-storey building under construction in the city of Xi'an also caught fire, which was put out later that night without casualties.