Beijing, Jun 4 (IANS): The toll in Monday's fire at a slaughterhouse in northeast China's Jilin province has risen to 120, authorities said.
The fire broke out around 6 a.m. at a poultry processing workshop owned by the Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company in Mishazi township in the city of Dehui, about 100 km northeast of the provincial capital Changchun.
Over 300 workers were in the plant when the fire began, survivors told Xinhua, adding they heard a sudden bang and then witnessed dark smoke.
About 100 workers managed to escape from the plant, the gate of which was locked when the fire broke out, they added.
Established in September 2009, Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company has 1,200 employees and an annual output of 67,000 tonnes of chicken products.