Srinagar, April 9 -- Beijing, Apr 09 - A devastating fire swept through a nursing home in Longhua County of Chengde city, located in north China's Hebei province, claiming the lives of 20 people, local officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The blaze broke out around 9 PM on Tuesday, and emergency crews rushed to the scene in a bid to rescue the residents.

By early Wednesday, authorities had confirmed the death toll at 20, according to a report by state-run Xinhua News Agency.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and officials have not yet released further details regarding the victims or potential safety lapses at the facility.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from The Kashmir Monitor....