Eight die in city-centre Prague blaze

27/10/10 10:16 CET

world news

| |

In Prague eight homeless people died when fire broke out at an abandoned building in the city centre near the main bus station.

The alarm was raised shortly after midnight local time.

By the time firefighters arrived just a few minutes later the blaze had already taken hold in the cavernous two-storey building that used to belong to Czech Railways.

The company had left the premises some time ago and mains electricity had been cut off.

Security guards say those taking shelter inside used candles for light in their makeshift home.

Two people were rescued from the flames and were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation.

More about: Czech Republic, Fires, Prague

| |

UN condemns Syrian government for Houla shelling

Protests have erupted across Syria after Friday’s massacre of at least 100 people, many of them children, in the town of Houla. With international…

IMF chief back-tracks over Greek tax-dodging

Greek and French politicians are making political capital out of remarks made by the IMF chief…

Greek anger at Lagarde tax avoidance comments

Haneke wins top prize as Cannes

This year’s jury president at Cannes, actor director Nanni Moretti announced the winner of…

Earthquake hits northern Argentina

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 has struck northern Argentina in the early hours of Monday morning. It happened at around 2.00am local time, 116km east-southeast of the city of Santiago…

Bosnian couple accused of enslavement

Police in north east Bosnia have detained a couple on suspicion of beating and starving a German teenager for years. The 19-year-old girl had allegedly been used as a slave since 2004. …