CNN —Chinese police have detained 12 people over a hospital fire that killed 29 people, mostly elderly in-patients, in Beijing Tuesday, one of the deadliest fires in the Chinese capital in recent years.
The blaze that engulfed an inpatient building of the Changfeng Hospital was caused by renovation work of its interior, where sparks from the construction ignited flammable paint, said Zhao Yang, an official at Beijing’s fire department, on Wednesday.
The hospital director and construction workers were among 12 suspects held on suspicion of major negligence, said Sun Haitao, an official with the Beijing Public Security Bureau.
As of Wednesday, 39 injured remain in hospital, with three in critical condition, said Li Ang, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Heath Commission.
One person was seen jumping from one level of the building to the lower terrace.