Beijing officials put efforts toward eliminating potential fire hazards

Top officials in Beijing demanded a thorough citywide check to completely eliminate potential security risks after a hospital fire killed 29 people on Tuesday in the capital, Beijing Daily reported.

"We will carry out the inspection in an orderly manner, leaving no blind spots, in order to resolutely guard the security red line and protect the safety of people," Yin Li, secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, said during a Tuesday night meeting held to arrange the follow-up work for fire relief.

The fire occurred at Beijing Changfeng Hospital in Fengtai district. A hospital admissions building caught fire at 12:57 pm on Tuesday, leaving 29 dead and 142 people evacuated and transferred.

The fire was extinguished at around 1:33 pm and the rescue operation lasted until 3:30 pm.

Yin also ordered a quick investigation into the cause of the fire and those responsible will be held accountable in accordance with the law, he said.

Yin said the current urgent task is to spare no effort to treat the wounded.

"The fire's consequence is painful, which rang an alarm bell and reminds us that the string in safety production must not be loosened and we cannot stop for a moment in eliminating fire hazards," Yin said.

He required to resolutely prevent the occurrence of severe accidents as a five-day May Day holiday draws near.