BERLIN, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- An 81-year-old man was found dead and two others injured after a fire broke out in an apartment above a shopping center in the city center of Kiel, northern Germany, on Saturday evening.

The man was discovered during a firefighting rescue. The two others suffered minor smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene, said the Kiel police, cited by local media Kieler Nachrichten.

A police spokesperson said emergency services were alerted at around 8:10 p.m. local time (1910 GMT) after residents heard cries for help and noticed smoke coming from the apartment. The fire was extinguished by firefighters. The shopping center is part of a large complex of arcades, offices and apartments.

The cause of the fire remains unclear and an investigation is underway. ■