HANGZHOU - Nine people died and two others were injured in a fire that ripped though a residential apartment in Quzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, local fire brigade said Tuesday.

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The fire broke out at about 8:15 pm Monday in an eight-story residential building in the downtown area of Quzhou, 230 km southeast to the capital city of Hangzhou.

Nine people died on the scene. The two injured were sent to hospital and they were in stable conditions, police said.

Witnesses said explosion was heard and they suspected it might be from a natural gas bottle that caught fire.

Police are investigating the cause of the incident.