NEARLY two dozen people have reportedly been killed in a fire at a Chinese hospital which left patients leaping to safety from windows.
At least 21 people have died and staff removed 71 patients after the fire broke out Tuesday in the inpatient department of Beijing Changfeng Hospital, Chinese state media reported.
One shocking video on Twitter shows a woman shimmying down her makeshift rope before plopping down on the roof below, and running away.
Other desperate people took refuge on air conditioning units outside the windows to escape the smoke.
Videos of the fire circulating on social media show black smoke billowing from the building.
China Daily reported the fire began through the hospital admissions building just past noon.
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One witness posted on Weibo: “It’s tragic. I can see the accident from the window of my house.
"A lot of people were standing on the air-conditioning unit at noon, and some even jumped off."
Some people are seen climbing out of the windows using what appears to be makeshift ropes made out of bedsheets.
Dimsum Daily News said the fire was extinguished an hour and a half after beginning, around 1:33 pm.
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State media also confirmed the fire had been extinguished and rescue work has been completed.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, the reports said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered a mass effort to help those who are injured.
Shocking photos and videos online show a mass amount of fire trucks around the building.
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