Pakistan Shopping Mall Blaze Leaves Scores of Casualties

A Pakistani vendor sells dry fruits at his shop in Karachi, Pakistan, 21 November 2023. EPA/REHAN KHAN
A Pakistani vendor sells dry fruits at his shop in Karachi, Pakistan, 21 November 2023. EPA/REHAN KHAN
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Pakistan Shopping Mall Blaze Leaves Scores of Casualties

A Pakistani vendor sells dry fruits at his shop in Karachi, Pakistan, 21 November 2023. EPA/REHAN KHAN
A Pakistani vendor sells dry fruits at his shop in Karachi, Pakistan, 21 November 2023. EPA/REHAN KHAN

A fire tore through a shopping mall in the southwestern Pakistani city of Karachi, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 20 others, police and local officials said Saturday.
The multi-story RJ Mall is in a commercial high-rise that also houses call centers and software firms.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the fire had been extinguished and a cooling process was underway.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Karachi is the capital of southern Sindh province, where such incidents are common. Earlier this year in April, a fire tore through a garment factory killing four firefighters. The flames ripped through the building, eventually causing it to collapse.



30 People Die in a Crash between a Passenger Bus and a Truck in Brazil

A general view of Brazil's National Congress during sunset in Brasilia, Brazil, June 11, 2024. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A general view of Brazil's National Congress during sunset in Brasilia, Brazil, June 11, 2024. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
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30 People Die in a Crash between a Passenger Bus and a Truck in Brazil

A general view of Brazil's National Congress during sunset in Brasilia, Brazil, June 11, 2024. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
A general view of Brazil's National Congress during sunset in Brasilia, Brazil, June 11, 2024. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

A crash between a passenger bus and a truck early Saturday killed 30 people on a highway in Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil, officials said.

The Minas Gerais fire department, which responded to the scene, said 13 others were taken to hospitals near the city of Teofilo Otoni. The bus had reportedly departed from Sao Paulo and was carrying 45 passengers.

Authorities said the bus blew a tire, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a truck. A car with three passengers also collided with the bus, but all three survived, according to the fire department, The AP reported.

Rescue teams are working on the accident site and there are still more victims to be removed, said Lt. Alonso of the fire department.

Gov. Romeu Zema wrote on X that he ordered “full mobilization” of the Minas Gerais government to assist the victims.

“We are working to ensure that families of the victims are supported to face this tragedy in the most humane way possible, especially as it comes just before Christmas,” Zema said.

In 2024, more than 10,000 people died in traffic accidents in Brazil, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

In September, a bus carrying a football team flipped on a road and killed three people. The Coritiba Crocodiles, a team from the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba, was headed to a game in Rio de Janeiro, where they were set to play in the country’s American football championship. The game was canceled following the deadly accident.