China investigators suspect construction work caused fire that killed 16 people in shopping mall

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese investigators suspect construction work sparked a fire that caused 16 deaths in a shopping mall in the southwestern city of Zigong. The fire broke out Wednesday evening, state media reported. The 14-story commercial building was evacuated, with 75 people led to safety, according to the official news agency Xinhua. Fire hazards remain a problem in China, which has reported 947 fire fatalities so far this year, up 19% from the same period in the previous year, according to the National Fire and Rescue Administration.