JINAN - A fire broke out in a shopping center in East China's Shandong province early Friday morning, local authorities said.

Firefighters are racing to put out the fire at the shopping center in the downtown of Shouguang city, and it remains unknown if there are any casualties, sources with the municipal government said.

The fire first broke out around 4:40 am at a first-floor fast food chain restaurant within the center, and later spread to a garment warehouse on the second floor, the sources said.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.