Page 59 - Disaster Accident
16 shops gutted in fire in Maha; none hurt
At least 16 shops were gutted when a fire broke out in Tirora city of Maharashtra's Gondia district in the early hours of Thursday, police said. No casualty was reported in the mishap, they said. The blaze erupted around 3 am in one of the shops located on the Tirora railway station road and soon spread to other commercial establishments, assistant police inspector Kailash Gavte said. Some gas cylinders kept at one of the shops engaged in welding work exploded following the fire, the police said, adding that residents of nearby areas got up in panic after hearing the loud sounds. "In all, 16 shops of fruits, utensils, cycles, cloth, decorative items and welding work were destroyed in the fire. There was no casualty," he said. On getting information, fire fighting teams of the Tirora Municipal Council and Adani Power Maharashtra Limited's local plant rushed to the site and took over an hour to bring the flames under control, he said. The cause of the fire was yet to be ...
Dehradun: 55 notices issued to buildings lacking fire safety arrangements
Dehradun fire department has issued show cause notices to 55 coaching centres and other buildings in the city for lacking in necessary fire safety arrangements.The action was taken days after Surat fire tragedy, which claimed 20 lives, mostly students and many others injured.Speaking to ANI, Chief Fire Official, Sandeep Kumar Rana, "After Surat fire tragedy, 55 notices have been issued which includes coaching centres, hotels and commercial complexes. One week time has been given to all for the reply. If we don't get a reply on time, then the buildings are likely to be seized by the concerned officials.""During the inspection, it was found that no precautions in terms of sufficient quantity of fire extinguishers and fire alarms have been taken. There is no proper evacuation facility at the time of need," he said.Several students were seen jumping off the building to escape the inferno on May 24 in Surat. Some people were unable to escape and died on the spot. As the rescue operations ..
Mexico: 21 killed in tour bus crash
At least 21 people were killed and over 30 sustained injuries in a road accident on Wednesday in eastern Mexico's Veracruz state.The accident took place after a tour bus collided with a mini-truck and burst into flames, reported Al Jazeera.Emergency officials reached the spot immediately and carried out the rescue operation.The officials pointed out that the bus' brakes failed while going downhill and crashed into the other vehicle, causing both to catch fire."The forensic experts at the scene report 17 bodies of passengers who were travelling in the bus, plus two people who died in the semi-truck," said Guadalupe Osorno head of the Civil Protection service."Two people were dead on arrival at the hospital, and another who was in serious condition died," she added.
7 dead, 21 missing after sightseeing boat sinks in Hungary
Seven people were confirmed dead and 21 remained missing early Thursday after a sightseeing boat carrying 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members collided with another vessel and sank in the Danube River in downtown Budapest. Rescue officials said seven bodies had been recovered. Pal Gyorfi, spokesman for the National Ambulance Service, said seven people were rescued and hospitalized in stable condition following the accident Wednesday night. National police spokesman Kristof Gal said 33 South Koreans were on the boat, after early reports mentioned 32. South Korea's Foreign Ministry later confirmed that 33 of its citizens were on the boat and said 19 were still missing. The two crew members were identified as Hungarian. South Korean President Moon Jae-in instructed officials to employ "all available resources" to support the rescue efforts in Hungary. Moon's spokeswoman Ko Min-jung said in Seoul that Moon also ordered the launch of a government task force led by Foreign ...
23 pilgrims killed in Mexico bus accident
At least 23 Catholic pilgrims were killed when a bus carrying them hit a cargo truck and erupted in flames in Mexico, authorities said.
21 killed in fiery Mexico road accident: officials
A semi-truck and a bus carrying passengers back from a pilgrimage to a Catholic shrine crashed and burst into flames Wednesday in eastern Mexico, killing at least 21 people, officials said. Thirty others were injured. Most of the victims were pilgrims from the southern state of Chiapas who were on their way back from a trip to Mexico City to pray at the basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the country's patron saint, said the head of the Civil Protection service for the state of Veracruz, Guadalupe Osorno. "The forensics experts at the scene report 17 bodies of passengers who were traveling in the bus, plus two people who died in the semi-truck," she said. "One person was dead on arrival at the hospital, and another who was in serious condition died." The Catholic archdiocese of Tuxtla Gutierrez, in Chiapas, sent its condolences to the victims' loved ones in a statement. "We deeply regret the deaths caused by this accident and share in their families' overwhelming pain," it said. The
Seven South Koreans dead, 19 missing after boat sinks in Budapest
Seven South Koreans have died and 19 others are missing after a river cruise boat capsized and sank on the Danube in Budapest, Hungarian and South Korean officals said Thursday. The accident happened near the parliament building in the heart of the Hungarian capital after a collision with another boat at around 10:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Wednesday, according to local media. A total of 33 South Koreans were onboard, South Korea's foreign ministry said, confirming the seven dead were Korean. The 26-metre tourist boat was also carrying two Hungarian crew members. "At this stage, seven people have been taken to hospital in a stable condition and our services have recorded the death of seven other people," Pal Gyorfi, a spokesman for Hungarian emergency services, said early Thursday morning. Searches with the help of divers continued through the night for the missing, he added. Heavy rainfall since the beginning of May has led to high water levels, complicating rescue efforts. The accident ...
Maharashtra heat: Mercury touches 48 degree Celsius in Chandrapur
Mercury soared high in isolated parts of Maharashtra as a heat wave gripped the region leading to a water crisis and also affecting crops.According to the India Meteorological Department, the mercury sizzled at 48 degrees Celsius in Chandrapur on Wednesday.The weather forecasting agency has warned that a heat wave may further rise in the coming days.Apart from Chandrapur, areas such as Brahmpuri and Amravati also recorded a high temperature of 47.5 and 46.4 degrees Celsius, respectively.However, in Andhra Pradesh, heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds hit Vijayawada on Wednesday providing relief from the sweltering heat and lowering temperatures considerably.It is worth noticing that YSR Congress Party chief Jaganmohan Reddy is set to take oath here as the new chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. The sudden change in weather has affected the preparations at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, the venue of the swearing in.Strong wind with speed reaching 40-50 kmph prevailed over the
737 MAX crisis is 'defining moment' for Boeing: CEO
The Boeing 737 MAX crisis has become a "defining moment" for the company, CEO Dennis Muilenburg said, but added that he was confident it hasn't hurt the company's long-term growth prospects.
Hungary: 7 tourists die as boat sinks, South Korea calls for emergency action
At least seven tourists from South Korea lost their lives and around 19 other people went missing after a sightseeing boat they were travelling in sank following its collision with another vessel on the Danube River here on Wednesday evening (local time), authorities said.CNN confirmed after quoting a spokesman for the tour operator as saying that 34 people were on board, including the crew.Hungarian authorities further said that officers from Budapest Police headquarters, as well as disaster management and rescue service personnel, are handling the rescue operation.The Mermaid, a ship from Panorama Deck's tourist fleet operating on the Danube since 2003, sunk shortly before 10 p.m. Wednesday, Panorama Deck spokesman Mihaly Toth told CNN.Emergency services are attempting to rescue as many people as possible, but the water level is high, and for that reason "the Danube is very strong," he said.In addition, heavy rain is also impeding emergency responders' efforts to search the water's .
Shop gutted in fire at Bengaluru airport
A shop inside the premises of the Kempegowda International Airport here was gutted in a fire on Wednesday.No one was injured in the incident that occurred early morning and it had no impact on airport authorities place early morning, officials said.Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was put out.According to reports, the fire broke out at a food and beverage outlet near the parking area away from the terminal.
Narrow escape for passengers as Himachal bus veers off mountain road
Passengers travelling in a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus had a narrow escape as the vehicle they were travelling in veered off the road.There were nine passengers in the bus along with the driver and the conductor.No casualties were however reported.The incident took place in the mountainous region near Bakhela in Solan district.
Tamil Nadu faces huge water scarcity
Due to rising temperature, several districts in Tamil Nadu are facing acute water shortage.According to reports, there has been a 40 per cent cut in the piped water supply in capital Chennai. Several reservoirs across the state have witnessed a decrease in water levels."Tamil Nadu is in a very big disaster in terms of water, water resources and planning also. It is facing the worst ever drought in the last few years. There are four major reservoirs which supply water to Chennai having combined storage of about 11 tmc. Other than that there are small reservoirs too. But nothing was done to augment the capacity," said Sundarrajan of NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal."Chennai should have got about four tmc of water from Krishna district till April. But we got only 0.8 tmc and the rest is not yet supplied. Similarly, Tamil Nadu should have got 20 tmc of water from Kaveri river in the last four-five months. Kaveri is the drinking water source for at least five crore of Tamil Nadu. It's a very dire .
Pakistan extends airspace ban for Indian aircraft till June 14
Pakistan on Wednesday extended the ban on India using its airspace for commercial flights till June 14, authorities have said.Dunya News quoted a spokesperson for Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as saying, "The closure will continue until June 14."Pakistan had fully shut its airspace on the eastern border with India after an Indian Air Force carried out aerial airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot on February 26.The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Pulwama, in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14.In March, the country partially opened its airspace for all flights but not for Indian flights.In mid-April, Pakistan also opened one of its 11 air routes for west-bound flights from India, and airlines such as Air India and Turkish Airlines have started using it.Since then, foreign carriers using Indian airspace have been forced to take costly detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure mainly affects ..
Boeing CEO: 737 MAX compensation could include cash, services
Boeing will tailor its compensation to airlines for the 737 MAX grounding around customer preference, and they could be paid back in services instead of cash, Chief Executive Dennis Muilenburg has said. After two deadly crashes grounded the top-selling plane, Muilenburg acknowledged on Wednesday that the MAX crisis had shaken public confidence in the company and inconvenienced key customers, but the company is unlikely to take a big financial hit. "We know we've impacted the summer schedules for many of them, and it's difficult, it's painful," he said, speaking at a New York investor conference. "I don't see this as an additional material event for us, but it's something that's going to require individual attention customer by customer." Compensation could include tweaking plane delivery schedules, or offering additional training or services, as well as cash in some cases, he said. Muilenburg, who was set to appear in his first broadcast interview on the crisis later Wednesday on CBS,
Man sets self on fire near White House: official
A man set himself on fire near the White House on Wednesday, the Secret Service said, adding that the individual was receiving first aid at the scene. The incident took place shortly after noon on the Ellipse -- south of the president's residence -- near 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, the Secret Service said on Twitter. "Secret Service personnel are on scene assisting @NatlParkService and @usparkpolicepio in rendering first aid," it said, referring to park rangers and park police. Last month, a man set his jacket on fire just outside the White House fence on Pennsylvania Avenue. That man suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
737 MAX jet grounded for at least 10-12 more weeks: IATA
The global aviation association IATA expects Boeing's troubled 737 MAX 8 plane to remain grounded for at least 10 to 12 more weeks, director general Alexandre de Juniac said Wednesday. In March, an Ethiopian Airways Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed killing all 157 people on board, less than five months after a similar disaster involving a Lion Air 737 MAX 8 that killed all 189 people on board that plane. The 737 MAX 8 was grounded by US authorities on March 13 after several other countries had already done so. Responding to a question about when the aircraft might fly again following two crashes, the head of the International Air Transport Association told a news conference: "Its difficult to say. What we understand from the regulator, at least 10 to 12 weeks will be the minimum delay." The decision "is in the hands of the various regulators and agencies which are responsible for certification", he added. De Juniac said a meeting was to be held "five to seven weeks from now" with airlines, ...
Japan law loosens rules for self-driving cars
Stuck in traffic on a Japanese highway? If you're in a self-driving car you might be able to kick back with a sandwich and check your phone under new legislation in the country. The law, passed Tuesday and published on the lower house website, takes effect from next year ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and offers a slight loosening of the current restrictions on autonomous vehicles. There were few immediate official details about the new rules, but Jiji Press agency said it would come into effect in May and would apply only to limited circumstances, including traffic jams on a highway. It would allow drivers in those situations to use a smartphone behind the wheel as their vehicle drives itself, so long as they are able to switch to manual driving immediately in case of emergency, the agency said. There is no specific language in either existing Japanese legislation or the new law that bans reading, using a laptop or eating while driving, meaning drivers of autonomous cars could sit back .
To avert Surat-like tragedy, Haryana to conduct inspections across state
Haryana plans to undertake a mammoth exercise to inspect coaching centres, schools, colleges, hotels, cinema halls and other commercial buildings across the state to avert a Surat-like fire tragedy in which at least 22 students were killed. Auditoriums, hostels and multi-storey buildings too will be inspected within 30 days when the exercise is undertaken next month, said Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain, who presided over a meeting on fire safety measures on Wednesday. A master fire control room will also be set up at the Directorate of Fire Service in Panchkula and the inspections would be carried out in three phases by civic bodies, she said. For inspection, committees would be formed in all districts which would comprise of Joint Commissioner, City Magistrate and Assistant Divisional Fire Officers or Fire Station Officers, Jain said. She said that directions have been issued to prepare a list of all commercial buildings in the state within 10 days. A Fire Safety application
10 coaching centres surveyed across Delhi, found lacking fire safety norms
All the 10 coaching centres inspected by the Delhi Fire Service were found lacking the fire safety norms with only one exit route incase of an emergency and inadequate firefighting equipment, officials said Wednesday. In the wake of the Surat fire tragedy, the Delhi government had directed the city's fire department to take immediate action for "closing down" coaching institutes operating above fourth floor in buildings in violation of the fire safety norms. The Delhi Fire Service has formed four teams, comprising two officials each, to inspect coaching centres in Karol Bagh, Mukherjee Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Lado Sarai and its adjoining areas. During inspection, it was found the coaching centres were functional with only one exit route as opposed to fire exits and inadequate firefighting equipment, an official said. They have been given 90 days time to ensure they fulfil the fire safety norms and incase they do not comply with, they will be issued showcause notice, he said, adding ...