HARBIN - A fire that broke out Monday morning at a shopping mall in Northeast China's city of Harbin has been contained.

The fire started around 9 am in the Guorun Home Textiles Shopping Mall in downtown Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

A fire breaks out Monday morning at a shopping mall in Northeast China's city of Harbin. [Xiao Jingbiao/Asianewsphoto]

The fire consumed an area of 9,400 square meters over the course of three and a half hours before being stopped. Firefighters helped evacuate shoppers from the five-story building.

Guo Ping, a spokesman from the local command headquarters, said the fire may have resulted from a welding accident, adding that the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Related story:

Shopping mall catches fire in NE China

Fire broke out at a shopping mall Monday morning in Northeast China's Harbin city, witnesses said.

Casualty information is unknown yet after the fire was spotted around 10:20 am at the Guorun Furnishing Mall on the Xuefu Road, said a witness. [More]