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Nine US firefighters die in blaze | Nine US firefighters die in blaze |
(40 minutes later) | |
A blaze has swept through a furniture store and a warehouse in Charleston, South Carolina, killing nine firefighters, officials say. | |
They died after the store's roof collapsed on them. The mayor said it was "a tragedy of immense proportions". | |
The fire began on Monday night, and was described by some witnesses as a "tornado of flames". | The fire began on Monday night, and was described by some witnesses as a "tornado of flames". |
Two employees were rescued from the buildings. The cause of the fire is being investigated. | |
The fire began at about 1900 local time on Monday (2300 GMT) in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse, Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley told reporters. | The fire began at about 1900 local time on Monday (2300 GMT) in the Sofa Super Store and warehouse, Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley told reporters. |
He said the blaze apparently started in a storage area. | He said the blaze apparently started in a storage area. |
Local residents said the store's roof collapsed, burying the firefighters and throwing burning debris around the building. | Local residents said the store's roof collapsed, burying the firefighters and throwing burning debris around the building. |
"It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," Mark Hilton was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. | "It was like a 30-foot tornado of flames," Mark Hilton was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. |
The mayor said the firefighters "extinguished the fire and they lost their lives fighting for the safety of our citizens". | The mayor said the firefighters "extinguished the fire and they lost their lives fighting for the safety of our citizens". |
"To lose nine is just a tragedy of immense proportions," he said. | "To lose nine is just a tragedy of immense proportions," he said. |
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