At Least 14 Humans Killed (50 Injured) in Fire at Transgender Gathering

Sad ! Really sad! I am PRETTY sure this was an intentional fire set off by some intolerant people! Shame people in today's world are STILL so intolerant!

How convenient to blame an electrical short for the blaze....it is believed.

Truly tragic.
And likely intentional. How horrible!!

http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/627765--fire-rages-through-prayer-cere...

The Spec...

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Manish Swarup
Sun Nov 20 2011

Fire rages through prayer ceremony, killing 14 eunuchs

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NEW DELHI

A fire tore through a makeshift tent at a gathering of thousands of eunuchs in the Indian capital on Sunday, killing 14 people and injuring at least 50 others, police said.

Emergency workers said the blaze was most likely caused by an electrical short and quickly spread through the tent, which was about 30 metres long.

The tragedy struck during a gathering of about 5,000 eunuchs for a prayer ceremony and feast held once every five years, said Shapo, an organizer of the event at a fairground in the Nand Nagri neighbourhood of east Delhi. Shapo, like many eunuchs, uses only one name.

Sunday was the first day of the 20-day event, said Ratna, an attendee.

One witness, Angelie, said there was a loud noise, then flames suddenly erupted and a gas cylinder exploded. Crowds of people ran to the exit from the fairground, Angelie said.

The Press Trust of India news agency reported that local residents raced to the area to pull the injured from the blaze before police and firefighters arrived. Police official Sanjay Jain said the fire killed 14 people and injured 50 others. It was not clear if all were killed by the fire or if some were trampled in the race to escape the flames.

In India, the term “eunuch” usually refers to cross-dressers and transgender individuals. India’s estimated 700,000 eunuchs traditionally survive by begging, dancing at weddings or blessing newborn babies, and frequently are subjected to discrimination.

The Associated Press

"New Delhi's health minister, A.K. Walia, said an electrical short circuit was believed to have caused the blaze."

Somehow I think that this "electrical short circuit" was deliberate.

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http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/delhi-fire-kills-14-injures-50_...

CNBC...

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Delhi fire kills 14, injures 50

Published on Sun, Nov 20, 2011 at 20:38 | Source : PTI

Updated at Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 10:41

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Delhi fire kills 14, injures 50

At least fourteen persons died and 50 suffered injuries when a major fire engulfed a congregation of eunuchs at a community centre in an east Delhi locality tonight, police said.

The incident took place at around 7pm this evening at the community hall in Nand Nagri area where a three-day congregation of eunuchs was taking place, they said.

Police said the fire first began in the kitchen of the community centre and thereafter spread to other parts of the hall.

Government officials and hospital authorities put the toll at 14. The injured have been admitted to various hospitals.

The congregation has been going for the past three days and today was the final day.

The casualities could go up, police said.

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