Shangri-la Hotel Mongolia: Blaze breaks out on seventh floor of building

Pictures show Ulaanbaatar building covered in flames

A fire broke out at the high rise Shangri-la Hotel in Mongolia, with smoke and flames visible throughout the afternoon (Pic: A.Anar) (A.Anar)

A fire broke out at the high rise Shangri-la Hotel in Mongolia, with smoke and flames visible throughout the afternoon.

The fire could be seen climbing up the luxury hotel in downtown Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital on Tuesday. The hotel is still under construction and is due to be completed by 2015.

Local journalist Lisa Gardner told The Independent the fire broke out at 12.45pm and 23 people are believed to have been evacuated from the site. The blaze is understood to have started on the seventh floor of the building.

It was extinguished by 2.40pm local time. Business Mongolia (BM) said initial reports suggest there were no deaths or injuries from the incident as construction workers were on lunch and had left the premesis.

Flames could be seen emerging from the building (pic: Michael Riera) (Michael Riera)

It said the fire was caused by an electrical wire, although this has not been officially confirmed.

The hotel is part of a chain of five-star lodgings across Asia, the Middle East, North America and Europe.

BM reports that $500 million has been invested in the Ulaanbaatar hotel.