The bodies of nine firefighters were found yesterday, a day after a blaze destroyed an eight-storey building in Hengyang, Central China's Hunan Province.

The death toll is expected to rise as 11 firefighters are still missing and one is in critical condition in hospital.

Two firefighters were initially reported killed in the blaze, which broke out around dawn on Monday.

Part of the building collapsed at 8:30 yesterday morning while firefighters were trying to quell the flames, and more than a dozen were buried in the debris.

The fire was extinguished yesterday afternoon and more than 400 residents living in the building have been safely evacuated.

The building served both commercial and residential use.

The cause of the fire, which started in the building's basement, is still under investigation, officers with the Hengyang public security bureau said.

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