Seven killed as fire breaks out in elderly care home in China

At least seven elderly people were killed today after a major fire broke out in a rest home in Northeast China.

The fire broke out at the privately-owned rest home in Chaoyang township of Jilin province around 4 am, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The blaze was put out within 20 minutes but seven elderly people were killed, while 32 of the residents were rescued by firefighters, it said.

There were 39 aged people living in the privately-run rest home.

The cause of the fire was being investigated.