ANKARA

At least two dozen people have been hospitalized after a fire broke out Thursday in a hospital in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, said Beijing-based Xinhua News.

Of those hospitalized from smoke inhalation, eight are in life-threatening or critical condition, while 17 have minor injuries, when the smoke spread to the second floor of a nearby hotel and caused the injuries, according to the local emergency management bureau.

The district fire department said firefighters were able to quickly put out the stairwell fire.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.​​​​​​​

At least 39 people were killed and nine injured in a blaze in the southeastern province of Jiangxi in January.