Mexico: 29 kids die in day-care center fire

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2009-06-05-mexico-fire_N.htm?csp=24&RM_Exclude=Juno

Mexico: 29 kids die in day-care center fire

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Flames engulfed a day care center in the northern Mexican city of Hermosillo on Friday, killing at least 29 children and sending dozens more the hospital, an official said.

The fire apparently started at a car and tire depot Friday afternoon and spread to the ABC day care center, said Jose Larrinaga, a spokesman for Sonora state investigators.

He said the fire was controlled within two hours and that most children had died of asphyxiation.

"We're still investigating what caused the fire and where exactly it started," Larrinaga said.

Guadalupe Ayala, coordinator of Red Cross rescue workers, said about 100 children were inside the privately-owned day care center when it caught fire.

"Firefighters had to knock holes in the walls to get the children," he said.

[aquart]

1. Beyond horror. My heart to their parents and classmates.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. How horrid.

Poor kids. How utterly devastating for their families.

[medeak]

3. prayers with the families..how horrific n/t

[emilyg]

4. My heart goes out to them. Tragic.

[krispos42]

5. Jeez

:-(

Horric way to die. Horrific.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. Count is up to 30

[Swede]

7. The fire was next door,why didn't they evacuate the kids?

This is awful.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. I'm wondering how many day care workers were present. Probably not enough to

evacuate all the kids.

[havocmom]

8. Somehow, I knew (before clicking) this was in Northern Mexico

where the malquiladoras tend to be, and worker abuse is all too common.

Wages not the only reason corporations move south of the border. Lack of protection for workers (and their kids) is a big savings for employers (from el norte). Violence against women workers is horrible, force birth control, rapes, and no real safety regs enforced on job sites. Not a far stretch to guess unsafe child care would be likely too.

So sad and so vile that these things happen. But money trumps people all too often.