GUANGZHOU, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 people were killed in a residential building fire on Tuesday night in Shantou City, south China's Guangdong Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

The blaze erupted at around 9:20 p.m. in the city's Chaonan District and was extinguished by around 10 p.m., according to the district's fire department.

Preliminary investigations show that the building was a four-story, self-built concrete structure, with the fire affecting about 150 square meters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.  ■