ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A series of explosions have hit a city in northern China leaving at least one dead.

Footage from the incident show people fleeing from the Wanda shopping centre in Changchun.

According to an official, a car exploded minutes before the blasts outside took place.

Authorities said the consider it to be a "criminal case".

One witness told the Beijing Youth Daily: “There must have been 20 explosions.

"The shopping mall asked people over the public address system to leave right away and we ran for our lives.”

Firefighters are currently at the scene and the cause of the explosions have not been disclosed.

The municipal government confirmed that a blast had occurred on the 30th floor of the shopping plaza.

Emergency services have warned people to stay away from the area.

China is on a security alert ahead of next month's Lunar New Year holiday, when tens of millions of people travel by rail, road and air to see relatives.

More follows....