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(CNN) At least 21 people have died in a fire that ravaged a hospital in the Chinese capital Beijing, state media CCTV reported on Tuesday.
The amateur video shows people in what Chinese state media described as the inpatient department of Changfeng Hospital as they try to escape the blaze that began around 1 p.m. local time (1 a.m. ET). It is shown hanging from the front.
CCTV said, “Unfortunately, 21 people have died as of 6:00 pm local time (6:00 am EST). Additionally, 71 patients have been evacuated.
The fire has been one of Beijing’s deadliest in recent years, surpassing the death toll of a 2017 fire that killed 19 people in a cramped two-story building in the capital’s southern suburbs of Daxing.
The tragedy prompted authorities to demolish most of the buildings deemed illegal or unsafe in the neighborhood and forced thousands of migrant workers from their homes and businesses.
In a video shared on social media on Tuesday, smoke can be seen billowing out of several hospital windows as people try to flee the blaze. It seems to be descending from the window to the terrace of the lower floor using a rope made of
Some people are sitting in air conditioning units installed outside the building, and others are using them to move from one floor to the next. One is seen jumping from her one level of the building onto the terrace below.
It’s unclear if everyone seen outside the building escaped the fire.
At least two ladders are seen leaning against the building during the rescue operation.
Several other videos of the exterior of the building posted on Weibo have since been removed.
CCTV state media reported that the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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