Fire kills 74 in Chinese cinema

At least 74 people have been killed in a fire that destroyed two cinemas in the city of Jiaozuo in central China's Henan province.

Police rescued only 12 people from the blaze, among them the owner of the Tiantang cinema who was badly burnt.

Three children were among the dead, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

Police said lack of fire safety facilities was the most likely cause for the large number of deaths.

The fire broke out in Tiantang cinema at 0330 local time on Wednesday (Tuesday 1930 GMT), and quickly spread to the Dongfang cinema next door.

Investigation

Firemen took a little over one hour to extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

It is still unclear why so many people were in the cinemas in the middle of the night - a time when most public facilities in China are closed.

Many fires in commercial establishments in China have been blamed on the practice of bolting all but one or two doors in order to prevent theft or ticketless entry.

Rapid economic development, a lack of public safety regulations and lax enforcement have played a role in recurring man-made disasters in China in recent years.