Chinese officials stated on Wednesday that 12 individuals had been arrested in Beijing on suspicion of negligence, a day after a hospital fire in the capital city killed at least 29 individuals and left another 21 critically injured.
According to authorities, the China hospital fire tragedy occurred at the Changfeng Hospital in the southwest of the capital city. UPI reported.
Social media videos showed individuals hanging from ropes and leaping from the structure while others sat over outdoor cooling systems to escape the flames.
Along with the wounded, who are reportedly being treated at various undisclosed hospitals and are claimed to be in critical condition, the deceased included a nurse, a healthcare professional, and a relative of a patient.
According to a Beijing Public Security official, those apprehended included the hospital's director and deputy director and the head of the primary contractor in charge of the hospital's building work. These individuals are being investigated for potential violations of safety management standards.
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China Hospital Fire Victims' Families Were Not Updated
Distressed and anxious family members rushed to the hospital upon hearing about the China Hospital fire through local news broadcasts, according to the BBC.
A relative of a patient told China Youth Daily that they had not received any updates on the China hospital fire after seven or eight hours, it broke.
During a news conference on Wednesday, authorities stated that the China hospital fire initial probe revealed that sparks generated during maintenance work had set ablaze the paint stored on the premises.
Due to low safety regulations and enforcement, deadly fires are a typical occurrence in China.
The China hospital fire on Tuesday was the worst in Beijing since a June 2002 internet café fire, which took the lives of 25 students. In November, a building fire in northwest Xinjiang claimed ten lives, sparking demonstrations over COVID-19 lockdowns that were seen to be impeding rescue attempts, per The Guardian.
Additionally, 38 people perished in a factory fire in central China in November, which was also blamed on illicit welding by employees.
