10 killed in NE China elderly home blaze

HARBIN, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Ten elderly people died in a fire that broke out at a senior nursing home in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province early Friday morning, local authorities said.

The blaze happened at about 1:15 a.m. in the inpatient building of the Lianhe Senior Nursing Home in Hailun City, according to the municipal government's publicity department.

There were 32 elderly people in the inpatient building that covers an area of 300 square meters when the fire broke out, according to the department.

A total of 283 elderly people were living in the nursing home, which was built in October 2005. With an area of 7,000 square meters, it caters for the rural elderly in the city who have no source of income.

The nursing home has been cordoned off. There were reports that the fire was caused by arson but this could not be confirmed by police on site.

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