Four die in Lima fire near hotel for APEC delegates

At least four people died Wednesday in a fire that broke out in a shopping mall steps away from a Lima luxury hotel where some APEC Asia-Pacific trade summit delegations were expected to stay, officials said.

Four bodies - two men and two women - were found near the mall's movie theatre, and a search for additional victims is under way, police said.

Firefighters have reported seven missing persons.

"It is difficult because of the thick smoke in the area," said fire department official Manuel Vera at the scene.

The fire began around 09:45 (02:45 GMT) at the Larcomar shopping centre in the Peruvian capital city's Miraflores district. The nearby Marriot Hotel was slated to host several delegations and attendees of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.