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Burma mosque fire kills 13 children | Burma mosque fire kills 13 children |
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Thirteen children have died in a fire at an orphanage that operates from a mosque in Yangon, Burma's main city. Police quickly put the blaze down to an electrical fault amid tensions over communal violence between Muslims and Buddhists. | Thirteen children have died in a fire at an orphanage that operates from a mosque in Yangon, Burma's main city. Police quickly put the blaze down to an electrical fault amid tensions over communal violence between Muslims and Buddhists. |
The fire started at 3am and trapped 16 children in a small loft, a mosque member said. Three jumped to safety but the others perished. | The fire started at 3am and trapped 16 children in a small loft, a mosque member said. Three jumped to safety but the others perished. |
After the fire security forces and three trucks of riot police blocked off roads around the two-storey compound in eastern Yangon which encompasses a mosque, a Muslim school and a dormitory. There were no reports of violence but around 200 people gathered nearby, some of them Muslims who expressed suspicions the fire had been set intentionally. | After the fire security forces and three trucks of riot police blocked off roads around the two-storey compound in eastern Yangon which encompasses a mosque, a Muslim school and a dormitory. There were no reports of violence but around 200 people gathered nearby, some of them Muslims who expressed suspicions the fire had been set intentionally. |
Security bars blocked most of the white building's windows, which were marked by black smoke in the late morning. The building burned from the inside and firefighters had extinguished the flames before dawn. | Security bars blocked most of the white building's windows, which were marked by black smoke in the late morning. The building burned from the inside and firefighters had extinguished the flames before dawn. |
Police officer Thet Lwin, speaking at the scene, said the fire was triggered by an electrical short "and not due to any criminal activity" but was jeered by the crowd for saying so. | Police officer Thet Lwin, speaking at the scene, said the fire was triggered by an electrical short "and not due to any criminal activity" but was jeered by the crowd for saying so. |
Myanmar has been on edge after sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims erupted in the central city of Meikhtila in March, killing dozens of people and displacing more than 10,000. The violence that has largely targeted Muslims has since spread to several other towns where extremists have torched or ransacked mosques and Muslim-owned property. | Myanmar has been on edge after sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims erupted in the central city of Meikhtila in March, killing dozens of people and displacing more than 10,000. The violence that has largely targeted Muslims has since spread to several other towns where extremists have torched or ransacked mosques and Muslim-owned property. |
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