BEIJING — Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun on Jan 3 expressed his profound condolences over the death of five firefighters in a warehouse blaze in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province.

In total, five firefighters were killed and another 13 firefighters and one security guard injured in a warehouse blaze in Harbin city of Heilongjiang province, according to rescuers.

The age of the deceased ranged between 18 and 22. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The firemen were buried by debris while trying to put out the fire, which burned down the third floor of a market warehouse at the Beifangnanxun ceramics market at about 10 p.m.on Jan 2, burying firemen on the second floor, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene.

Saying that the firefighter’s spirit of sacrifice and devotion should be promoted, the minister ordered sparing no efforts to save the injured and sooth the family relatives of the deceased.

Guo directed the rescue work at the ministry’s commanding center through a video system.

The Ministry of Public Security has also dispatched experts to Harbin for disaster relief.

Guo required a thorough check on hidden dangers at the scene to avoid the dying embers flaring up again.

Dense population places should be particularly inspected, so as to prevent the occurrences of major public security accidents, he stressed, reaffirming that people’s life and property safety should be ensured.