Six people were suffocated by toxic smoke in a fire flaming a leather market place in Zhenjiang City of east China's Jiangsu Province Saturday night, local police said Sunday.

The accident occurred at about 8:25 p.m. Saturday when the fire blazed three stores in a leather market place in the city's Danyang Development Zone.

The fire was extinguished and caused no further damage one hour later on Saturday after more than 120 fire fighters rushed to fight the flame.

Police's preliminary investigation shows the fire was caused by the fireworks set off by nearby stores.

Further investigation was still under way.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2003)