State Council committee to oversee investigation of deadly fire in Beijing

The Work Safety Committee of the State Council has decided to directly oversee the investigation of a deadly fire that killed 29 people in Beijing.

The committee will also dispatch personnel to guide capital authorities' investigative work, a media release from the Ministry of Emergency Management on Friday said.

The office of the committee is based in the ministry.

The blaze happened on Tuesday in Beijing's Changfeng Hospital. A preliminary investigation showed it was caused by a welding spark during renovation work.

Of the deceased, 26 were patients, one was a family member of a patient and two were medical workers.

In the release, the committee urged Beijing authorities to identify the cause of the tragedy as soon as possible.