At Least 11 Dead in Massive Fire at Paint Factory in New Delhi

Fire brigade personnel look on after dousing a fire at a paint factory in the Alipur area in northern New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb.16, 2024. (AP Photo)
Fire brigade personnel look on after dousing a fire at a paint factory in the Alipur area in northern New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb.16, 2024. (AP Photo)
TT

At Least 11 Dead in Massive Fire at Paint Factory in New Delhi

Fire brigade personnel look on after dousing a fire at a paint factory in the Alipur area in northern New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb.16, 2024. (AP Photo)
Fire brigade personnel look on after dousing a fire at a paint factory in the Alipur area in northern New Delhi, India, Friday, Feb.16, 2024. (AP Photo)

A massive fire swept through a paint factory in India's capital, New Delhi, killing at least 11 people and leaving four others injured, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

Fire officials said that the blaze started late Thursday on the ground floor of the factory, trapping the victims on the floors above with no way out. The building, which also houses a chemical warehouse, is located in the Alipur area in northern New Delhi.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

The charred bodies of the 11 victims were recovered from the rubble after 22 fire engines doused the flames after battling for more than five hours. The victims have not yet been identified.

Fires are common in India, where building laws and safety norms are often flouted by builders and residents.



Guinea Stadium Crush Kills 56 People after Disputed Refereeing Decision

People scramble in Nzerekore, Guinea, where local officials said a deadly stampede ensued at a stadium following fan clashes during a soccer match, December 1, 2024, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Social media via Reuters
People scramble in Nzerekore, Guinea, where local officials said a deadly stampede ensued at a stadium following fan clashes during a soccer match, December 1, 2024, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Social media via Reuters
TT

Guinea Stadium Crush Kills 56 People after Disputed Refereeing Decision

People scramble in Nzerekore, Guinea, where local officials said a deadly stampede ensued at a stadium following fan clashes during a soccer match, December 1, 2024, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Social media via Reuters
People scramble in Nzerekore, Guinea, where local officials said a deadly stampede ensued at a stadium following fan clashes during a soccer match, December 1, 2024, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Social media via Reuters

A controversial refereeing decision sparked violence and a crush at a football match in southeast Guinea, killing 56 people according to a provisional toll, the government said on Monday.

The fatalities occurred during the final of a tournament in honor of Guinea's military leader Mamady Doumbouya at a stadium in Nzerekore, one of the nation's largest cities.

Some fans threw stones, triggering panic and a crush, the government statement said, promising an investigation.

A video authenticated by Reuters showed dozens of people scrambling over high walls to escape.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official from the city's administration said many victims were minors caught in the turmoil after police started firing tear gas. The official described scenes of confusion and chaos with some parents retrieving bodies before they were officially counted.

Videos and pictures shared online showed victims lined up on the ground. In one video, over a dozen inert bodies could be seen, several of them children.

Reuters was not immediately able to verify that footage.

Opposition group National Alliance for Change and Democracy said authorities bore responsibility for organizing tournaments to bolster political support for Doumbouya in contravention of a transition charter prior to a promised presidential election.

There was no immediate response from the military junta to that accusation.