21 die in Beijing hospital fire, others escape from windows
At least 21 people died and dozens were forced to evacuate a hospital fire in Beijing on Tuesday.
As plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky, people trapped in high-rise buildings tied their beds to tarpaulins and escaped through windows, as seen in a video circulating on social media. Others took refuge in the air conditioning unit outside.
Emergency workers have extinguished the fire in the east wing of the inpatient ward at Beijing Changfeng Hospital, state media including CGTN reported, and at least 71 patients have been rescued. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Many hospital buildings appeared to be without power late Tuesday, with only a few windows lit by workers’ flashlights. The exterior of the building was blackened and burned in place, and a police car could be parked at the north entrance.
As of Wednesday morning, there was no official word on how many were killed or injured. A phone call to the hospital for comment Tuesday was not returned.
