On Tuesday night, a fire broke out in a self-built residential building in Chaonan district of Shantou, Guangdong province, killing 12 people, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The fire occurred in the four-story reinforced concrete building on Danfeng Road of Xiashan subdistrict at 9:20 pm, with a burned area of about 150 square meters, according to local fire rescue authorities.

Upon receiving the report, the fire rescue department quickly dispatched forces to the scene for rescue operations and the open flames were extinguished by 10:03 pm Tuesday.

A provincial-level investigation team composed of departments such as emergency management, fire rescue, public security and discipline inspection and supervision was established on Wednesday to thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire.

According to Jiemian News, a new media outlet based in Shanghai, there is a hardware shop on the first floor of the building. The shop sells electrical appliances, electromechanical and hardware products.

Videos circulating online of the incident scene showed the street-facing building had visible flames erupting from a room on the first floor, accompanied by thick smoke and noise.

At the time of the incident, there were few pedestrians on the street, with the fire illuminating the area.

Chaonan district, located in the southern part of Shantou, is one of the major manufacturing areas in eastern Guangdong focusing on textiles and clothing, electronics and appliances industries, with many small workshops and small shops being distributed within the area, according to reports.

In the first half of 2025, the mortality rate from fires in small commercial establishments across the country increased by 39.5 percent, compared to the previous year, according to National Fire and Rescue Administration.

Buildings with shops on the first floor and residence above, and those with shops in front and residence behind, have become significant contributors to the casualties, according to the administration.