12 detained over Beijing hospital fire

Twelve people, including three from a hospital and two from a construction company, have been detained by the police in connection with a fire at Beijing Changfeng Hospital on Tuesday that left 29 people dead as of 9 am on Wednesday.

The head and deputy head of the hospital, as well as the director of the hospital's general affairs department, were among those detained.

The police are investigating further and collecting evidence, said Sun Haitao, an official from the criminal investigation team of the city's police bureau, at a news briefing at noon on Wednesday.

The fire started at 12:57 pm on Tuesday. By 3:30 pm, on-site rescue work had been completed, and a total of 71 patients had been evacuated and transferred.

Li Ang, spokesman for the city's health commission, said that a medical team with 633 members from nine hospitals was established on Tuesday.

By 6 am on Wednesday, three of the 71 patients have been discharged from the hospital and 39 are still receiving medical treatment, said Li.

Li said the commission will provide care for all the people who were injured.