fire

Buildings razed in POM

The fire, which began around 1:30pm yesterday, spread quickly as a strong breeze aided it in its destruction.

Two families living behind the main warehouse of the old stationery shop were caught off guard as the fire quickly spread, forcing them to take out all valuables.

The Waigani PNG Fire Service attended but it was a futile attempt as the fire destroyed the front shop and warehouse  and quickly spread to the last building.

Large fire rips through Dubai's Torch Tower

Footage posted on social media showed flames spreading up the Torch Tower, and burning debris falling down.

Civil defence officials have "successfully evacuated" the building and are now working to bring the blaze under control, Dubai's authorities say.

It is not clear what caused the fire in one of the world's tallest buildings.

"No injuries have been reported so far in the Torch Tower fire incident," the government of Dubai's media office tweeted.

The Torch Tower was damaged by an earlier blaze in 2015.

     

Malaguna technical gutted by fire

The fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, started from the principal’s office and quickly swept through the entire building in less than an hour, bringing into flames two deputy principals’ offices, the bursar’s office and the school’s main administration office.

According to a teacher, the fire started at around 4pm and by the time firefighters – arrived about an hour later from Kokopo – the entire two-storey building was already under flames.

Fire guts Rigo candidate’s home

Fortunately, Wari Vele and his family and dependents escaped unscathed.

Candidate Vele is unaware of the cause of the fire, but believes foul play was involved.

“I cannot rule out arson because the fire started from an area (verandah) where there were no electrical wiring,” he told Loop PNG.

He said a group of boys raised the alarm when they noticed flames racing along the roof of the house.

“It was highly suspicious. The fire started and within 15-30 minutes, the entire house was engulfed in flames.”

​Fire service warns landlords

This is the message from the PNG Fire Service, after a child tragically died in a fire at Badili on Sunday.

The Port Moresby residential building, which was once a shop, caught fire at around 2pm.

While the cause of the Badili fire is yet to be established, Acting Chief Fire Officer, Bill Roo, raised concerns about buildings that have had their class of occupancy changed to another without complying with proper processes prescribed in the Building Act (Regulations) chapter 301 or the PNG fire code.  

France migrants: Huge fire guts Grande-Synthe Dunkirk camp

At least 10 people were injured when the fire tore through closely-packed huts at the Grande-Synthe camp, near the port of Dunkirk.

Last month officials said the camp would be dismantled because of unrest.

The French north coast has been a magnet for migrants trying to reach Britain.

"There is nothing left but a heap of ashes," said Michel Lalande, prefect of France's Nord region.

"It will be impossible to put the huts back where they were before," he added.

Staff accommodation catches fire

A TVWAN reporter was at the scene to take amateur footage that showed the first few minutes of the fire service responding to the blaze.

At the scene, a staff residing at the Duffy accommodation said the fire had started at about 7.30pm, just minutes before the news team arrived at the scene.

More than 40 employees had lived there.

Female staff residents were taken to safety when the fire spread.

I-85 fire: Section of Atlanta highway collapses

All five lanes of the highway in each direction were blocked and will be closed for the foreseeable future, officials said.

Guatemala mourns after children's home fire kills 21 girls

Wednesday's blaze at the government-run Virgen de Asuncion shelter in San Jose Pinula, near Guatemala City, has focused attention on how it was run.

Police say some residents set fire to mattresses after a riot and an escape attempt.

There have been allegations of abuse at the overcrowded centre.

At least 40 other people suffered burns in the fire, and some remain in critical condition.

President Jimmy Morales declared the country to be in official mourning. His office said the cause of the fire was being investigated.

At least 18 injured in fire on Hong Kong metro train

The victims have been transferred to local hospitals, although their conditions are not known, Hong Kong officials said.

A 60-year-old man has been arrested and accused of arson, Hong Kong police said at press conference Friday.

The man, whose last name is Cheung, was critically injured and told police he set the fire, authorities said.

Police said they believe the fire was an isolated incident carried out for personal reasons. There is no evidence it was terror-related, they said.