Fire kills 21 at wedding party

MULTAN – A fire broke out in a tent at a wedding party in eastern Pakistan, triggering a stampede and wall collapse that killed 21 women and children, said police yesterday.

Khadim Hussain Khadim of police said more than 30 other people were injured after the wedding party turned into a tragedy late on Saturday night in Jhok Utra, a village about 120km west of the city of Multan. Khadim said that a high-powered electric light apparently sparked the fire in the large canvas tent, where more than 100 women and children, many singing wedding songs, were present.He said 15 women and six children died of burns from the flaming and collapsing tent, from injuries cause by a stampede when people tried to escape, and from debris from a nearby newly built wall that toppled in the stampede.According to him, the tent had been set up on the lawn at the home of the bride, who was among the dead.He said that more than 30 women and children were injured, and eight of them were taken in serious condition to hospitals in the cities of Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan.He said the men had been in a separate tent that was not damaged.Nampa-APKhadim said that a high-powered electric light apparently sparked the fire in the large canvas tent, where more than 100 women and children, many singing wedding songs, were present.He said 15 women and six children died of burns from the flaming and collapsing tent, from injuries cause by a stampede when people tried to escape, and from debris from a nearby newly built wall that toppled in the stampede.According to him, the tent had been set up on the lawn at the home of the bride, who was among the dead.He said that more than 30 women and children were injured, and eight of them were taken in serious condition to hospitals in the cities of Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan.He said the men had been in a separate tent that was not damaged.Nampa-AP