TAIPEI, Aug 31: At least 13 people were killed and 78 others injured on Sunday when fire swept through a residential building in suburban Taipei, firefighters said.

The fire erupted shortly after 2:00 am and immediately engulfed an eight-story building in Luzhou, a district of northern Taipei county, firefighters at the scene told AFP.

Ninety-one people were rushed to hospitals and at least 13 were pronounced dead by doctors, they added. Doctors said most of the victims were choked to death. The fire was extinguished two hours later.

Residents evacuated from the scene said they suspected the fire was caused by arson. Police were investigating the source of the blaze.—AFP