Apartment fire kills 13, many hospitalized in central Chinese city of Zhengzhou

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, a man checks a charred ammeter box at a seven-story apartment building after a fire in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, Thursday, June 25, 2015. A fire erupted on the ground level of the building in the early morning but the cause of the fire was not known, state broadcaster CCTV said. (Zhu Xiang/Xinhua via AP) NO SALES (The Associated Press)

BEIJING – Chinese state media say 13 people have been killed after a fire broke out in a seven-story apartment building in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou.

State broadcaster CCTV said Thursday that the fire erupted early morning in a hallway on the ground level and that most people died from smoke inhalation.

The TV says multiple people have been hospitalized with burning injuries.

It says the cause of the fire is under investigation.