Society

Beijing fire death toll rises to 18

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-28 10:11

BEIJING - Health authorities Thursday said a girl died on Wednesday night after medical treatment failed, bringing the death toll in Monday's building fire in Beijing to 18.

The girl was announced dead at 11:40 pm Wednesday in Beijing Children's Hospital after fighting three days against injuries caused by burning and inhalation of excessive smoke, said Beijing Health Bureau in a statement.

The statement did not give further information about the girl.

The rest of the 24 injured people were still being treated in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. Doctors said earlier that at least seven patients were still in critical conditions.

A fire broke out around 1 am Monday in an illegal building in the town of Jiugong in Beijing's Daxing district, killing 17 people on the spot. Most of the dead were identified as migrant workers hired by a garment workshop or those seeking inexpensive housing in the building.

Police said the fire was caused by a short circuit in an electric tricycle stored in the garment workshop on the ground floor. Poor safety conditions in the building and its surrounding neighborhood were blamed for hindering people from escaping and for delaying the rescue work.