State Council's Work Safety Commission to supervise Hebei elderly care facility fire probe

On Wednesday, the State Council's Work Safety Commission announced it would supervise and oversee the investigation into a fatal fire at Guo'en Elderly Care Facility in Longhua county, Chengde, Hebei province. The fire occurred on Tuesday night and killed 20 individuals.

The notice, publicly issued to the Hebei provincial government, directed authorities to expedite the inquiry in accordance with related laws and regulations to identify the causes and liabilities and propose handling measures and corrective actions.

Hebei will formally conclude the case and release findings to the public after approval.

The fire broke out around 9:48 pm and was extinguished around 11 pm.

Authorities confirmed that 20 individuals died in the incident, while 19 more were transported to hospitals for medical observation, according to earlier media reports.

The facility's responsible personnel have been taken into custody by public security authorities.

Investigations into the cause of the fire and support efforts for the victims' families are underway.