Beijing hospital fire claims 21 lives
A devastating fire at the Beijing Changfeng Hospital has tragically claimed the lives of 21 people, according to reports on Tuesday.
The blaze reportedly began just before 1pm local time at the private hospital, located in the Fengtai district of the Chinese capital. It took emergency crews about half an hour to put out the inferno, with frantic rescue efforts continuing for a further two hours. All in all, a remarkable 71 patients were evacuated from the burning building and subsequently taken to another location for care.
As of 6pm, the tragic death toll stood at 21, with the exact cause of the accident still being investigated, according to the same reports.
Gut-wrenching footage shared on social media throughout the day showed desperate people perched on external air conditioning units as they tried to escape the flames. Other harrowing scenes captured occupants clinging to ropes as they jumped from the burning building in a bid to save their own lives.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether all of the hospital’s patients and staff have been safely located and evacuated from the scene of the disaster. In particular, the east building of the hospital’s inpatient department appeared to be the most severely affected by the blaze.
It is confirmed that those who tragically lost their lives in the fire were taken to another unidentified hospital for emergency treatment. Unfortunately, we are still awaiting further details on the number of individuals who suffered injuries in the fire, as well as their current conditions.
Beijing Changfeng Hospital is situated in the western urban area of the capital city, approximately 25 minutes by car from central Tiananmen Square.
This tragic event highlights the need for continued vigilance regarding fire safety in hospitals and other institutions around the world. The repercussions of this heartbreaking incident are sure to be felt far and wide, serving as a poignant reminder of the unparalleled importance of fire safety measures in all buildings.
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