Blaze leaves 17 dead at Philippine clothing store

A fire has swept through a department store in the southern Philippines, killing 17 people.

The blaze broke out early on Wednesday at the three-storey shop in Butuan on the southern island of Mindanao.

The victims were said to be female employees who were sleeping in the department store.

A local police official said the thick smoke meant that the women had not been able to get out.