The blaze broke out about 3:30 am (1930 GMT Saturday) at a hotel operated by Chinese budget chain Home Inns in Tonghua, an industrial city by the North Korean border, the official Xinhua news agency said. It was extinguished half an hour later.

The victims died of smoke inhalation after the fire started in a first-floor stairwell and then spread to the second floor, sending thick plumes of smoke to the upper floors of the hotel where guestrooms were located, Xinhua said, citing local officials.

A karaoke bar and restaurant were on the first two floors of the building, the report said.

Local government officials did not answer calls from AFP.

The injured have been taken to hospital, including three in a critical condition, Xinhua said.

"Almost none of them suffered burns," Qiao Shuping, deputy president of the Tonghua City People's Hospital, was quoted saying.

"Their main symptoms are dizziness, nausea and sore throat."

Authorities are investigating the cause of the blaze.

Home Inns issued a statement saying it was "very sad for the accident", Xinhua said.

Deadly fires are common in China and are typically blamed on lax observation and enforcement of fire-safety measures.

Last week, 18 poor migrants died and nearly two dozen were injured when a fire swept through an illegally constructed building in Beijing.

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