At least 15 people have been killed and 44 injured in a fire at a residential building in the mainland city of Nanjing, local authorities said on Saturday.

The fire broke out early on Friday morning, officials said at a press conference, with a preliminary investigation suggesting the blaze started on the building's first floor - which usually equates to ground floor in Hong Kong - where electric bikes had been placed.

The building is located in the Yuhuatai district of Nanjing, a city of more than eight million that lies about 260 kilometres northwest of Shanghai.

By 6am, the fire had been extinguished, and a search and rescue operation ended around 2pm on Friday, authorities said.

Twenty-five fire trucks were mobilised to fight the blaze, emergency services said.

Footage circulating on Chinese social networks showed a skyscraper on fire in the middle of the night, with black smoke pouring from it.

Other images show gigantic flames consuming several floors of the building, the flashing lights of emergency vehicles visible nearby in the dark.

Additional footage, apparently taken later, shows white smoke pouring from several points in the building.

The 44 injured people were sent to hospital for treatment, officials said, adding one was in "critical condition" while another was seriously injured.

At a press conference, city mayor Chen Zhichang offered his condolences and apologies to the victims' families. (AFP)
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Last updated: 2024-02-24 HKT 11:55