Restaurant fire leaves at least 17 dead as inferno rips through diner during lunchtime rush

AT least 17 people have been killed after an inferno ripped through a busy restaurant in China. The horrifying blaze consumed the small diner in the northeastern city of Changchun on Wednesday during the lunchtime rush. TwitterThe blaze engulfed the busy restaurant on Wednesday[/caption] Customers were clamoured inside the eatery at 12.40pm when the fire began, according to state television channel CCTV. Three people were also injured in the blaze while the charred remains of 17 people were retrieved from the dilapidated building. Most read in The Sun JUNGLE READY Full I'm A Celebrity All Stars line up including soap icons & reality TV stars SCOTT TO BE LOVE England ace Alex Scott fell 'madly & deeply in love' with Kelly Smith FEARS FOR LEGEND Bob Mortimer in secret hospital visit as he admits he's 'not very well' PIPELINE PANIC Putin feared to have SABOTAGED pipelines as the sea bubbles from gas leak DOC WON'T SEE YOU Major change to GP appointments as 'red alert' could see you turned away AT WAR SAS Who Dares Wins star Ferne McCann in bitter feud with former friend Sam Faiers The cause of the accident is under investigation, and all the injured had been taken to hospital, CCTV said.