Eight people were killed and three others injured after a fire broke out at a ground-floor commercial space in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, on Thursday morning.

According to a statement released by the district authorities, the blaze occurred at about 3:40 am in Haigang district. Firefighters, emergency response teams, healthcare workers, and police were immediately dispatched to the scene for rescue operations. 

The flames were extinguished at around 4:30 am.

The injured were sent to hospitals for treatment and are currently in stable condition. Investigations into the cause of the accident and follow-up arrangements are underway.