Forest fire kills 18 firefighters in China

A forest fire in southwest China killed 18 firefighters and one other person, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has reported.

The firefighters and a local farm worker who was leading them were trapped by flames while extinguishing the fire when the wind suddenly changed.

The fire started on Monday near Liangshan Yi Prefecture, in the Sichuan province.

Sichuan previously suffered a serious accident after a forest fire about a year ago, when at least 27 firefighters and three others died in Muli, a Tibetan autonomous county. (dpa/NAN)

Credit: NAN