At least 22 people were killed in eastern China on Sunday in a house fire in the Jiangsu province.

Three people were injured in the incident.

The official Xinhua news agency cited local authorities as saying that the blaze broke out before dawn at a two-storey residential house in Yushan town in Changshu city.

The blaze has been put out, and investigation into the cause is under way, it said.

A man has since been arrested for allegedly starting the fire.

The suspect, named Jiang, is in police custody, reported Xinhua.

Local police gave no further information on the suspect.

The three injured do not face life-threatening injuries, the agency added.