AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - MILITARY PARADE ENDS IN TRAGEDY: 200 INJURED INCLUDING 13 SUFFERING FROM SEVERE BURNS

Monday, 3 November 2003

Ouagadougou (Fides Service)- “It was a tragedy and we express our deepest sympathy while ensuring our prayers for the injured and the families”, a local Church source in Burkina Faso tells Fides after the fire which broke out during a military parade at Bobo Dioulasso. Taking part in the parade, besides Burkina Faso troops, were also members of the respected armed forces of Benin, Niger, Morocco, Mali, Senegal and Ghana. Local sources say the fire started when a burning torch held by an onlooker fell to the ground igniting nearby oil drums. Some 200 people were injured and 13 of them are suffering from serious burns. Minister of Defence General Kouame Loungue has announced an inquiry to ascertain the causes of the tragedy. LM (Fides Service 3/11/2003, lines 15 words 141)


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