NEWS: Fire in Paraguay Kills over 250

A fire in a Paraguay supermarket is feared to have taken the lives of as many as 300 people according to some estimates. The count of bodies recovered from the scene continue to mount.



Still much isnt known about how the fire began but suspision will probably be aimed at faulty equiptment or terrorism. Authorities are unable at this point to confirm the death toll. The fire began in the busiest part of the day so, we can only wait until more info comes in.

Related News Links:
news.com.au



[edit on 8-2-2004 by Valhall]

AP report said 80 people died and dozens were injured at the Ycua Bolanos supermarket on the outskirts of the Paraguayan capital. A police official suggest the death toll was much higher.

Public health minister Julio Cesar Velazquez told reporters, "I have never seen a disaster like this. The firefighters were taking out, as best as they could, the bodies, the injured and people suffering from smoke inhalation.
It's horrible."

AP: Fire Sweeps Crowded Paraguay Supermarket


[edit on 1-8-2004 by Riwka]

have to remember the news guys are really slow and innaccurate today cause all the 'important' stuff on 2day.

a little timeline for ye:

about 5hrs ago...everyone alive
4.5hrs ago...fire breaks out
4.5-3hrs ago...1st batch of bodies get carried out.
3hrs to now....body count rising and fire still not out.

that basically it...the further in time from the incident..the higher the body count.

wireservice.wired.com...

Now reports are saying over 124 dead

Skynews has finnally caught up *passes out from shock*

124 is stated too here:

At least 124 people have died after a fire swept through a supermarket on the outskirts of Paraguay's capital Asuncion, the country's police chief said.

"They are still taking bodies out of the supermarket," Paraguay's police chief Humberto Nunez told Reuters.

update

Seems that a gas explosion caused the fire.

well...we can rule out finding anyone who was near the main area of the explosion...they would be crispy bits on floor now. Probable death toll...between 220-290 people.

Death toll raised to 142 (Reuters)

It is horrible.

230 dead in Paraguay inferno

Some witnesses said victims were not able to escape the flames because the exits had been locked, possibly to avoid robberies, a claim denied by Juan Pio Paiva, the supermarket's owner.

The fire began on the first floor of the building and -- in addition to causing the fatalities -- left hundreds of people with severe burns and asphyxia.

CNN

[edit on 1-8-2004 by Riwka]

If it was a case of fire exits being locked that cause the problem then the managers are to blame for this. Accidents like that should never happen and exits should not be locked or pad locked. Who ever is responseable has to live with all the thoughts of the people that got killed.

Reuters now report casualties at over 250......

At least 283 people die and more than 100 people were injured.
There are still bodies inside the building, but firefighters cannot enter because of the ruins and the danger of collapse.

Police said they were probing reports shoppers were trapped inside after the supermarket locked its doors to stop people looting or leaving without paying.
Firefighters found its main door closed when they arrived, police said, but supermarket officials denied doors had been locked.

Reuters

Latest numbers on CBS are saying the deal toll in the supermarket fire has been raised to 464

(AP) The death toll from a weekend fire at a supermarket shot up by more than 100 Tuesday, reaching 464, as a security guard told investigators he received orders to lock the building's doors just after the blaze began, officials said.

CBS.com

Originally posted by deeprivergal

....as a security guard told investigators he received orders to lock the building's doors just after the blaze began, officials said.

Oh my G'd.

464 dead because of locked doors.


The poor people.