Turkey detains six after deadly dormitory blaze
TURKEY yesterday detained six people suspected of negligence after 12 victims, most of them young schoolgirls, were killed in a fire that ravaged a dormitory.
The blaze, which officials said was likely caused by an electrical fault, raced through the building’s wooden interior onTuesday as panicked youngsters tried to jump from windows to safety.
Some officials suggested many of the victims were killed on the top floors of the dormitory in the southern region of Adana after they were unable to open a fire door to flee the flames.
Those detained as part of the investigation into accusations of “causing death by negligence” include the manager of the dorm in the Aladag district of Adana, the Dogan news agency said.
Dogan said most of the dead would be identified after DNA tests, in a sign that the victims were too badly burned to be identified visually.
Ten of those killed were schoolchildren aged up to 14 while the fire also claimed the life of a member of the teaching staff.
The 4-year-old daughter of the dormitory manager being held by the police also died.
Twenty-four people, including 16 children, were injured, Deputy Prime MinisterVeysi Kaynak told a press conference.
Officials said the fire was likely caused by an electrical fault that then spread rapidly due to the wooded structures inside and carpeted floors.
Adana Governor Mahmut Demirtas said none of the injured were in a serious condition.
Adana City Mayor Huseyin Sozlu said that the dorm’s fire door was locked and that most of the dead were recovered from near that exit. But Kaynak said that according to initial findings, the door had been unlocked. He said all details would be clarified after an investigation.