A knit goods wholesale market caught fire Saturday morning in the capital of central China's Henan Province, killing 12 people and injured another 21, according to the city's fire control department.

The injured were rescued and rushed to the nearby hospitals.

At 2:40 a.m. Saturday, the city's fire control department received fire warning report, saying the fire took place in the knit goods wholesale market on Dunmu Road neighboring the Zhengzhou Railway Station. At about 4:10 a.m., the fire was put out.

Investigation into the cause of the fire was under way by press time.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2005)