A room of a nursing home in Zhulin Town, eastern China's Changzhou City. (Photo/Modern Express)
(ECNS) -- Six elderly people at a nursing home in Zhulin Town, eastern China's Changzhou City, died within a week, the Modern Express newspaper reported.
Online reports speculated that they died of high temperatures due to a ban on air conditioner use while the nursing home claimed they died of natural causes.
The nursing home took away remote control devices to prevent seniors from using air conditioners provided by the government despite recent high temperatures, online sources said.
However, Xu Xiaokou, head of the nursing home, said all six people died due to existing health problems such as cancer and stroke, while some passed away with their children around.
He also said the public institute serves 115 people who receive an annual subsidy of 8,000 yuan ($1,200) each from the government as well as 23 elderly persons who pay their own expenses of 800 yuan a month.
Remote controls for air conditioners were given to the elderly to use for more than 10 days, he added.
But the newspaper report said only four of all air conditioners in nearly 40 rooms were in use, and that in some the equipment was not even connected to power.
An elderly resident interviewed admitted he didn't know how to use the control. Another said the nursing home banned people living alone from using air conditioners so he had borrowed a device from others.
But an accountant there said not all old people like to use air conditioning and some prefer an electric fan.
Ma Yuqing, deputy director of the local civil affairs office, said an investigation into the six deaths found nothing abnormal.
Since no one reported anything to authorities, local police have not started an investigation, it was added.
