The South China Morning Post reported that a large explosion caused a fire at a luxury apartment complex in Nanshan District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province (China) at 3:00 p.m. on December 11 (local time).

PHOTO: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST SCREENSHOT

Emergency services including police, firefighters and paramedics quickly arrived and cordoned off the scene. The cause of the explosion and the extent of the casualties are still unknown. However, paramedics confirmed that at least one person fell from the building.

The city fire department said it had dispatched 16 fire engines and 80 firefighters to the scene, according to Xinhua.

Images circulating online show the explosion taking place on a high floor of the apartment building and smoke still billowing from the affected apartment. Adjacent apartments have broken balcony and window glass. Images also show a woman sitting on the balcony of the damaged apartment.

PHOTO: DIMSUM DAILY SCREENSHOT

According to Dimsum Daily , witnesses working in an office building 300 meters away felt the shock, some heard a loud explosion, then saw debris falling.

Firefighters confirmed that they received an emergency call at 2:46 p.m. regarding an incident at an apartment in Phase 2 of the Shenzhen Bay Joy Mansion. Firefighters believe the fire started near an apartment on the 28th floor of the building and may have been caused by a gas cylinder explosion. A woman fell from the building and was taken to hospital by ambulance after the incident.