Deadly Schoolgirl Dorm Fire Turkey detains six
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 on Tuesday 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 dormitory 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 four-year-old daughter of the dormitory manager being held by the police also died, Dogan said.
Twenty-four people including 16 children were injured, Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak told a press conference.
"A fire burns where it falls but the pain has deeply affected us all," he said.
"They were the future of our country," he added, referring to the youngsters killed.
Officials said the fire was likely caused by an electrical fault which then spread rapidly due to the wooded structures inside and carpeted floors.
Adana governor Mahmut Demirtas said Tuesday some terrified schoolgirls were injured after jumping out of the window to escape the flames. He added that none of those injured was in a serious condition.
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