S.Korean School Fire Kills 8 Children, Injures 17 Others

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 27, 2003

S.Korean School Fire Kills 8 Children, Injures 17 Others

Eight school children were killed and 17 others injured in a fire late Wednesday night at an elementary school in Cheonan, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul.

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Eight school children were killed and 17 others injured in a fire late Wednesday night at an elementary school in Cheonan, some 90 kilometers south of Seoul.

The injured children were immediately taken to nearby hospitals while six seriously injured were rushed to hospital in Seoul, reported national news agency Yonhap News on Thursday morning.

The fire, which was brought under control in 15 minutes, also caused an estimated property damage of 16 million won (12,800 US dollars).

The fire broke out around 11:20 p.m. (14:20 GMT) when the children, who were taking part in football training camp there, were sleeping in a building of the school. And firefighters were quoted by Yonhap as saying that the lack of safety facilities in the cramped building led to the heavy death toll.

A witness said the lights suddenly went out in a small room where the children were sleeping and smoke filled the room, reported Yonhap.

A police investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.

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