Peerkons
02-26-2011, 09:39 AM
A fire at an orphanage for disabled children has killed 10 people in Estonia, as the government declared an official day of mourning. (http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Estonia-Orphanage-Fire-Kills-10-in-Haapsalu-As-Government-Announces-Day-Of-Mourning/Article/201102315937821?f=rss)
The building went up in flames with 37 youngsters and nine adults inside. The children were having their regular afternoon nap at the time.
Eight youngsters aged seven to 16 years and two adults were among the dead.
Estonia has one of the worst fire-casualty rates in Europe.
Public buildings across the nation of 1.3 million were set to fly their flags at half-mast as part of the day of mourning.
"We all share the mourning of the families and relatives of the victims and extend our condolences… let us offer support to those whom this dreadful accident has affected," President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in a statement.
Most of the children were wheelchair-bound and unable to escape the flames that spread rapidly through the one-storey wooden building in the town of Haapsalu.
Fire-fighters battled for two hours to bring the blaze under control and the building was partly destroyed with soot damage throughout.
Local governor Neeme Suur said the orphans were taken to a hostel for the homeless.
A criminal investigation into the fire has been launched.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2011/Feb/Week3/15937887.jpg
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2011/Feb/Week3/15937842.jpg
The building went up in flames with 37 youngsters and nine adults inside. The children were having their regular afternoon nap at the time.
Eight youngsters aged seven to 16 years and two adults were among the dead.
Estonia has one of the worst fire-casualty rates in Europe.
Public buildings across the nation of 1.3 million were set to fly their flags at half-mast as part of the day of mourning.
"We all share the mourning of the families and relatives of the victims and extend our condolences… let us offer support to those whom this dreadful accident has affected," President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said in a statement.
Most of the children were wheelchair-bound and unable to escape the flames that spread rapidly through the one-storey wooden building in the town of Haapsalu.
Fire-fighters battled for two hours to bring the blaze under control and the building was partly destroyed with soot damage throughout.
Local governor Neeme Suur said the orphans were taken to a hostel for the homeless.
A criminal investigation into the fire has been launched.
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2011/Feb/Week3/15937887.jpg
http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2011/Feb/Week3/15937842.jpg