By Matthew Roscoe • Published: 09 Nov 2021 • 12:20
Credit: Twitter
26 children are dead after a fire devastates a school in the southern city of Maradi, Niger.
Tragedy has struck the southern city of Maradi, Niger, where 26 schoolchildren aged between 3 and 8 were killed by a fire at the school.
The horrific event occurred on Monday, November 8 when three classrooms made of wood and straw caught fire causing a further 80 students to be severely burned.
Those injured were transported to local hospitals with some being reported to be in critical condition.
Although the cause of the fire is not yet clear, it is unfortunately not the first fire to break out at a school in Niger this year.
According to the United Nations, Niger – with a population of around 25 million – is one of the poorest countries in the world and has seen several schools, including in the capital Niamey, catch fire resulting in large numbers of innocent children being killed.
According to the BBC, authorities have declared 3 days of mourning and suspended classes in all schools in the region of Maradi.
This is the second major disaster to strike Niger in a 24-hour period after a gold mine collapsed killing more than 30 miners on Sunday, November 7.
Many more are said to still be trapped underground.
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Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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