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Fatal fire destroys Beijing hotel Fatal fire destroys Beijing hotel
(about 2 hours later)
A fire has engulfed a luxury hotel being built in central Beijing, killing one firefighter. Investigators have blamed China's state TV for a huge fire that destroyed a hotel in Beijing, saying fire-crackers it illegally set off caused the blaze.
Chinese state media reported that six other people had been injured in the fire that destroyed the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. A firefighter died after inhaling toxic fumes and six people were injured in the fire at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel that raged for more than five hours.
The 44-storey building is located a few hundred metres from Chinese TV's iconic headquarters - designed as part of the city's Olympic makeover. China Central Television (CCTV) staged the fireworks display nearby to mark the end of Lunar New Year celebrations.
Fire-crackers are believed to have sparked the blaze. The hotel, which is under construction, was empty when the fire broke out.
The firefighter died early on Tuesday from toxic gases he inhaled while fighting the fire. The 44-storey building is located just a few hundred metres from CCTV's iconic headquarters - designed as part of the city's Olympic makeover.
It took almost four hours to bring under control, after it began on Monday evening. The flagship Mandarin Oriental Hotel was nearly completedThe complex cost 5bn yuan ($731m; £495m), according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The hotel said no-one was in the building when the fire began. The authorities said the broadcaster had gone against police warnings and set off fireworks in the complex that were far more powerful than those allowed for public use.
The blaze was spectacular, drawing onlookers from across China's capital city as clouds of sparks and smoke spurted from the tower. Police are questioning those in charge of the display, Xinhua quoted Beijing fire spokesman Luo Yuan as saying.
Xinhua new agency quoted a city government spokesman as saying initial reports indicated firecrackers set off to celebrate the Lunar New Year, China's most important annual festival, had caused the fire. The blaze, which was filmed by CCTV, drew onlookers from across China's capital, as clouds of sparks and smoke spurted from the tower.
Fireworks were set off across Beijing on Monday night to celebrate the first full moon since the Lunar New Year.