Fire reported at China Consulate in Houston

A fire was reported at the Chinese Consulate General in the US city of Houston apparently due to burning of documents in its courtyard, police said.

Fire and police officials responded immediately to reports that documents were being burned in the courtyard of the Consulate General on Tuesday just after 8 pm, the Houston Police Department (HPD) said.

The news of the fire came amid reports from Beijing that the US has asked China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas.

Videos shared by people around the consulate show several open bins or containers with flames coming out of them. People could be seen throwing things into the flaming bins.

Dozens of first responders arrived at the scene but they did not go into the property.

Under international convention, the consulate, located at 3417 Montrose Boulevard, is considered Chinese territory.

A Houston police source told local media that the consulate and a compound on Almeda Road, where many employees of the consulate live, are being evicted by 4 pm on Friday.