A fire at an internet caf?in Beijing’s university district on June 17 caused 24 deaths. According to official reports, the fire broke out at 2am-3am in the Lanjisu internet caf? a converted residential apartment that was operating illegally. Most of the victims were said to be teenagers or students from the nearby Science and Technology University.
Witnesses claimed that the main door was locked and the windows were fitted with iron bars. Xinhua said that there were about 2,400 internet caf�s in Beijing, of which only about 200 were properly licensed.