Blaze kills 24 at Azerbaijan drug clinic

At least 24 people have been killed in a fire at a drug rehabilitation clinic in the capital of Azerbaijan.

The fire broke out at 6am local time in Baku and was not put out until three hours later, police and prosecutors said.

They said a short circuit is believed to be the cause of the fire.

The Health Ministry said 200 patients and staff have been evacuated and 34 people have been rescued from the building.

The office of the Azerbaijani president said he had arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue effort.