The fire broke out shortly before the lower-level shopping complex was due to close

The fire in central Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang autonomous region, burned through the night on Wednesday.
 
The 23-storey Dehui International Plaza normally houses thousands of people in the lower level shopping centre and the upper office floors.

State media said 181 fire fighters and 48 fire engines had been deployed to tackle the blaze.
 
There have not been any reports of deaths or injuries although officials have said there are likely to have been casualties.

"We are trying to put out the blaze. There must be some casualties, but we're still not sure about the number," an unnamed official at the Urumqi Fire Office told the Associated Press.

Guests staying in an adjacent 20-storey hotel were all safely evacuated.

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