21 die in Beijing hospital fire, others escape from windows

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media says a fire killed at least 21 people at a hospital in Beijing and forced dozens of people to evacuate. The reports say at least 71 patients were rescued Tuesday after the fire broke out at Beijing Changfeng Hospital. Videos circulating on social media showed people escaping out the windows of the multistory building after apparently tying bedsheets into makeshift ropes. Others took refuge by perching on outdoor air conditioning units. Emergency crews have since extinguished the fire. The cause is under investigation. There was no official word by early Wednesday on how many of the dead were patients or the number of people injured.