 At least 15 people have been killed and 44 injured in a fire at a residential building in eastern China's Nanjing, local authorities said the fire broke out early Friday morning, officials said at a press conference, with a preliminary investigation suggesting the blaze started on the building's first floor, where electric bikes had been placed. 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, the building is located in the Huatai district of Nanjing, a city of more than 8 million about 260 kilometers northwest of Shanghai. The 44 injured people were sent to hospital for treatment, according to agents France Prisa. The country has seen a spate of deadly fires in recent months, often caused by official negligence, prompting calls from President Xi Jinping last month for deep reflection in greater efforts to curb the frequent occurrence of safety accidents. Fires and other deadly accidents are common in China due to lax safety standards and poor enforcement. In January, dozens died after a fire broke out at a store in the central city of Sinyu, with state news agency Xinhua reporting the blaze had been caused by the illegal use of fire by workers in the store's basement.