More than 100 people have died and dozens have been hurt in a fire at a poultry farm and processing plant in China.

The blaze in Mishazi in Jilin province is believed to have been sparked by three explosions in the farm’s electrical system, according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.

Workers told state broadcaster CCTV the fire broke out during a change of shifts and may have started in a locker room.

Of the 350 staff on site at the time, 112 are known to have died and 54 have been injured.

It is feared the death toll could rise further as bodies continue to be pulled from the charred remains of the factory.

Asia Correspondent Mark Stone, in Beijing, said: “From what local reports are suggesting, there was a complicated interior set up to the factory, which made it that much harder to get out.

“We know the exits were narrow and there are some suggestions the factory gate was locked, preventing some of those workers from escaping.

“China has a very bad history of industrial accidents and the suggestion is that regulation in China simply isn’t good enough.

“The government has said it will improve safety and this sort of thing will only add to the pressure to do so.”

The factory’s owner, Jilin Baoyuanfeng Poultry Company, is a major producer of processed chicken in China and employs around 1,200 people.

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