NewsWhore
11-26-2010, 03:20 PM
Asphyxia from carbon monoxide (smoke inhalation) appears to have caused the deaths of the nine victims of Wednesday's fire that destroyed a large part of the Program for Essential Medicines (Promese) warehouse in Santo Domingo North. National Institute of Forensic Pathology director Santo Jimenez said that they have handed over eight of the bodies to their relatives, while one still remains unidentified and unclaimed. The cause of the fire, which is thought to have started in the south wing of the building, has still not been confirmed, although survivors are saying that a spark from some welding equipment had caused the blaze.
Speaking in Jarabacoa, President Leonel Fernandez announced the launch of a thorough investigation to determine the causes of the fire, and sent his condolences to the families of the victims.
The Santo Domingo North Fire Department inspected the structure early yesterday, as did a commission from the Office of Supervision of State Projects that was overseeing the project, the Ministry of Labor and the Superintendent of Work Risks. A technical report is due to be issued within a few hours. Commander of operations for the Santo Domingo North firefighters, Colonel Leonardo Valdez Recio, denied that they had been negligent as some witnesses were claiming. He told Diario Libre reporters they arrived within five minutes, but the whole building was already in flames. According to Valdez, a highly inflammable polystyrene coating used for insulation in this type of building may have caused the flames to spread so quickly. Another aggravating factor was the lack of emergency stairs. Valdez Recio said that if they had existed, many of the victims could have been saved.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)
Speaking in Jarabacoa, President Leonel Fernandez announced the launch of a thorough investigation to determine the causes of the fire, and sent his condolences to the families of the victims.
The Santo Domingo North Fire Department inspected the structure early yesterday, as did a commission from the Office of Supervision of State Projects that was overseeing the project, the Ministry of Labor and the Superintendent of Work Risks. A technical report is due to be issued within a few hours. Commander of operations for the Santo Domingo North firefighters, Colonel Leonardo Valdez Recio, denied that they had been negligent as some witnesses were claiming. He told Diario Libre reporters they arrived within five minutes, but the whole building was already in flames. According to Valdez, a highly inflammable polystyrene coating used for insulation in this type of building may have caused the flames to spread so quickly. Another aggravating factor was the lack of emergency stairs. Valdez Recio said that if they had existed, many of the victims could have been saved.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#1)