At least 17 people were burned alive after an inferno ripped through a restaurant during busy lunchtime service in China. 

It started at about 12.40pm local time in the Hongyu Xiaoyoubing People’s Restaurant in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province.

According to China’s state television channel CCTV, customers were inside the eatery during lunch hour when the fire began.

Three people were injured and taken to hospital for treatment and the charred remains of 17 people were removed from the dilapidated building. 

Images show smoke and flames cascading out of the building. The blaze was extinguished by around 3pm by fire crews.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. 

It happened in Changchun New Area industrial zone, which is a car manufacturing centre, according to a social media post by its management committee.

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