Ten elderly people died in a fire that broke out at a nursing home for senior citizens in northeast China's Heilongjiang province early Friday, authorities said.
The blaze broke out at about 1.15 a.m. in the in-patient building of the Lianhe Senior Nursing Home in Hailun City, reported Xinhua citing the municipal government's publicity department.
There were 32 elderly people in the in-patient building that covers an area of 300 square meters when the fire broke out.
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.
There were reports that the fire was caused by arson but this could not be confirmed by police.