Beijing, Mar 31 (AP) China's state media say 19 people died while fighting a raging forest fire in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

The Xinhua News Agency reported the deaths on Tuesday but did not say when they occurred.

A city information office says the fire started on a farm Monday afternoon and quickly spread to nearby mountains due to strong winds.

An emergency evacuation was initiated, and more than 300 professional firefighters and another 700 militiamen were sent to help. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)