24 die in Beijing internet cafe fire

A fire at an internet cafe in the university district of Beijing has killed 24 people.

The fire broke out at the cafe in the Haidian district according to the Xinhua News Agency and an official at the Beijing fire department headquarters.

A fire official said the cause is under investigation.

Haidian is the site of Beijing University and Tsinghua University, two of China's most prestigious schools.

No other details were immediately available.

Such fatal fires occur frequently in China, where operators of bars, cinemas, internet cafes and other businesses often ignore fire safety rules or fail to provide emergency exits.

But such an accident is unusual in the Chinese capital, where safety rules are more rigorously enforced.