Hotel fires in china: 18 died

A fire early Saturday at a hotel in China has left at least 18 people dead, according to an initial death toll given by state media.

The incident started during the night in the hotel in Harbin, capital of the northeastern Heilongjiang province, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The rescue operation is ongoing,the agency said in a report, citing information from local firefighters.Hotel fires are common in China, where fire security regulations are routinely neglected