One killed in Beijing hotel fire

Fire crackers are thought to have sparked the Beijing blaze

A fire has engulfed a luxury hotel being built in central Beijing, killing one firefighter.

Chinese state media reported that six other people had been injured in the fire that destroyed the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

The 44-storey building is located a few hundred metres from Chinese TV's iconic headquarters - designed as part of the city's Olympic makeover.

Fire-crackers are believed to have sparked the blaze.

The firefighter died early on Tuesday from toxic gases he inhaled while fighting the fire.

It took almost four hours to bring under control, after it began on Monday evening.

The hotel said no-one was in the building when the fire began.

The blaze was spectacular, drawing onlookers from across China's capital city as clouds of sparks and smoke spurted from the tower.

Xinhua new agency quoted a city government spokesman as saying initial reports indicated firecrackers set off to celebrate the Lunar New Year, China's most important annual festival, had caused the fire.