Page 898 - Disaster Accident
Kamala Mills fire an opportunity to improve system: HC to BMC
The Bombay High Court today said authorities must take the Kamala Mills fire incident as an opportunity to start monitoring hotels, restaurants and other eateries here as the safety of people was paramount. The court observed that there was rampant violation of norms, and said constant checks were required, failing which such incidents would continue to occur. A division bench of justices R M Borde and R G Ketkar, hearing a PIL seeking a judicial inquiry into the Kamala Mills fire on December 29 last year, said the city witnessed a spate of fire incidents in 2017. "This incident (Kamala Mills) has given you (the city civic body) an opportunity to improve your system. Stakes are high as it is about citizens' safety which is of utmost importance," Borde said. Fourteen people died and over 30 others were injured when a fire broke out at the '1 Above' and 'Mojo Bistro' pubs situated in the Kamala Mills compound in Central Mumbai. The HC said that it was time authorities, ...
Govt takes steps to boost coal supplies to power plants
In order to boost coal supplies to power plants, the government has decided on various steps including the use of dedicated rail transportation and setting up of power projects only within 500 km from coal mines, sources said. It has also decided that all power plants within 20 km from pit-head of coal mine will construct elevated closed belt conveyors within next 2 years. The steps were finalised at a meeting headed by Power Minister R K Singh, said a source. The meeting was held in the last week of January and the steps were firmed up in the presence of power secretary, coal secretary, chairman of the Central Electricity Authority, CIL's chairman and managing director and CMD of NTPC. As per the estimates on the basis of power consumption growth, the requirement of domestic coal in 2018-19 would be about 615 million tonnes, which means that 288 rakes of coal per day would be required from Coal India Ltd (CIL), said the source. According to him, as per the steps ...
Two US diplomats spark Mexico volcano rescue mission
Two US diplomats were involved in an accident while climbing Mexico's highest summit -- the inactive Citlaltepetl volcano -- authorities said, adding that bad weather forced them to postpone air rescue efforts. Officials did not specify the exact roles of the unidentified diplomats, one of whom suffered a fall, forcing the other to seek help from the US embassy. "In coordination with Mexico's mountain rescue brigade and the United States embassy, action is being taken to rescue two diplomats missing on Citlaltepetl," the civil protection authority for the state of Puebla said in a statement. "They did not advise any authorities, municipal or state, about the route or date of their ascent," a local government source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. Officials said two helicopters were dispatched but bad weather prevented them from reaching the climbers. Emergency personnel set off on foot to camp with them and wait until conditions improved -- or failing that, ..
177 cases of norovirus infection confirmed in PyeongChang
Organisers of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics said Monday a total of 177 cases of norovirus infection have been confirmed since the outbreak in the Olympic host town last week.
2 killed, 4 injured in road accident in HP
Two people were today killed and four others injured after a bus collided with a bolero jeep near Bhali on the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway, police said. According to Superintendent of Police Kangra Santosh Patial, the bus, which was on its way from Himachal Pradesh to Amritsar, collided with the jeep on a sharp-turn while it was over taking. The jeep was coming from Chamba to Kangra, he said. The occupants of the jeep died on the spot, while the injured were admitted to the Tanda Medical College. All the victims are yet to be identified, they said, adding that an investigation was underaway.
Eight killed as vehicle falls off bridge in Jharkhand
Eight people were killed and two injured when the vehicle they were travelling in plunged 20 feet off a bridge in Jharkhand's Dumka district on Monday, police said.
Helicopter crashes in Grand Canyon, killing 3 tourists
Authorities say three British tourists died when a sightseeing helicopter they were on crashed onto the jagged rocks of the Grand Canyon. Three other British tourists and the pilot survived and were airlifted to a Las Vegas hospital. A witness said he saw flames and black smoke spewing from the crash site, heard explosions and saw victims bleeding and badly burned. The Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters chopper crashed under unknown circumstances Saturday evening on the Hualapai Nation's land by the Grand Canyon's West Rim Hualapai Nation Police Chief Francis Bradley says navigating the rugged terrain in the dark made it difficult for first- responders to reach the helicopter's wreckage. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. The Nevada-based company says it cooperating fully with investigators.
Fire breaks out in two Delhi shoe factories
Fire broke out on Monday in two shoe factories in Delhi's Mangolpuri Industrial area and Narela.15 fire tenders were rushed to the spot in Mangolpuri and seven in Narela.No casualities have been reported so far.Earlier on February 2, a similar incident took place in Delhi's Peeragarhi, where 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames.
Memorial service honors 17 Taiwan quake victims
A memorial service is being held for the 17 people who died after a strong earthquake hit Taiwan's east coast last week. The magistrate of worst-hit Hualien county spoke at Monday's noon ceremony at a local funeral parlor. Members of the military and police force, religious group volunteers and city workers paid their respects before a row of the victims' framed photographs. The attendees stepped into the memorial hall in turn, bowing and placing white flowers before the photos. Taiwan's official Central News Agency says the deceased include nine mainland Chinese, one Philippine national and two Canadians. The shallow, magnitude 6.4 quake last Tuesday also injured 280 people after several midsized buildings were left tilting at dangerously sharp angles.
8 killed, 2 injured as MUV plunges into river
Eight persons were today killed and two others injured when an MUV hit the railing of a bridge and fell into a river in Dumka district, an official said. It appeared that the driver lost control over the vehicle and hit the railing of the bridge over the Joria river near Lagla village under the Jama police station area, he said. Eight persons died on the spot, while two others were critically injured, the official said, adding that the vehicle was taking Hindi newspapers from Bhagalpur to Dumka. The injured were admitted to the Sadar Hospital here.
Investigators hunt for clues over Russian passenger plane
Investigators will examine today numerous possible causes of one of Russia's worst ever aviation accidents that saw a passenger plane carrying 71 people crash near Moscow minutes after take off, killing everyone on board. Russia's Investigative Committee said it would consider explanations including human error, technical failure and weather conditions, as the country has experienced record snowfall in recent weeks. But it did not mention the possibility of terrorism. The Antonov An-148 plane went down in the Ramensky district on the outskirts of Moscow at 2:48 pm yesterday after taking off from Domodedovo airport in the capital. "Sixty-five passengers and six crew members were on board, and all of them died," Russia's office of transport investigations said in a statement Three children were among the fatalities on a list published by Russian authorities. The flight was operated by the domestic Saratov Airlines and was headed for Orsk, a city in the Ural mountains. More
Gas spill sparks highway inferno in China
A Chinese highway transformed into a raging inferno after an overturned tanker coated the road in liquid natural gas, creating a potential deathtrap for unsuspecting motorists. Dashcam footage from a passing car shows a blue sedan bursting into flames just moments after the driver pulled onto the shoulder behind the tanker truck. As he pulls over, the entire length of road turns into a sea of flame, engulfing another car and incinerating trees and bushes edging the road. He then dashes out of the car in a desperate bid to escape. The dramatic footage was taken Sunday along a motorway in Hebei province, bordering Beijing. The car filming the scene quickly reversed, trying to escape the surging flames. In the ensuing carnage, two people were seriously burned and another six sustained light injuries, according to local media reports. The rig's drivers escaped injury. The Beijing-Harbin Expressway, where the incident occurred, is a major thoroughfare for trucks carrying coal,
Jharkhand: 8 killed, 2 injured after vehicle falls into river
At least eight people were killed and two were seriously injured after a vehicle fell into a river in Jharkhand's Dumka district, on Monday.The deceased are yet to be identified, while the injured are admitted in Sadar Hospital for treatment.The reason for the accident is yet to be known.As of now, the police are on the spot and investigating the matter.
Tonga declares state of emergency as cyclone looms
Tonga declared a state of emergency today as the Pacific island kingdom braces for a direct hit by a powerful cyclone that is threatening to become a Category Five superstorm. Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita has already created havoc in neighbouring Samoa and is gathering pace as it approaches Tonga. Acting Prime Minister Semisi Sika issued a nationwide alert, saying he was "satisfied that an emergency is happening or is about to happen". The Fiji Meteorological Service predicted Gita will become a Category Five storm -- the top of the scale -- before reaching Tonga Monday night. It is already packing gusts of 275 kmh as it sits off the east coast of the country's most populous island Tongatapu. Tonga's Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Centre warned residents could expect "very destructive hurricane force winds". Gita slammed into Samoa overnight Friday, forcing the evacuation of some 200 people and causing widespread flooding, leaving many without power. Philip Duncan, chief .
Chandigarh airport closed for runway expansion
The Chandigarh International Airport was closed for all air traffic on Monday for authorities to carry out runway expansion and repairs.
Uttarakhand: 5 dead, 4 injured after vehicle falls into gorge
At least five people died and four were injured after a vehicle fell into a gorge in Uttarkashi, on Monday.The accident took place when a vehicle, carrying 10 persons, was traveling from Uttarkashi to Lambgaon.Five passengers died on the spot, four were injured, and one sustained minor injuries.
Maharashtra: Rain, hailstorm lash Jalna
Rain and hailstorm lashed the Jalna district of Maharashtra on Sunday.The sudden weather change in the area has partially damaged crops and other property.A forecast of a similar weather change in certain parts of Uttarakhand has been issued for Monday.
Air India flight aborts take-off after false fire warning
A Mumbai-Ahmedabad Air India flight had a rejected take off at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) following a false fire warning in port engine.The Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) manager, who was following the aircraft, reported visible fire in the port engine at 9:26 pm on Sunday and thereafter, pilot-in-command (PIC) switched off both the engines.However, it turned out to be a false warning.According to reports, the aircraft was further towed to chokes at 9:45 pm and at 9:50 pm, PIC reported that the take off was rejected due to stall warning.A stall warning is an electronic or mechanical device that sounds an audible warning as the stall speed is approached.The flight was carrying 182 passengers on board.
Officials: 4 killed in Southern California small plane crash
Authorities say four people have been killed after a small plane crashed near a mountain town in Southern California. The Los Angeles County Fire Department says the private plane went down late yesterday morning in a remote area near Agua Dulce. The department confirms four fatalities and says the coroner and Federal Aviation Administration officials are responding. Agua Dulce is in the Sierra Pelona Mountains about 73 km north of downtown Los Angeles. FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer says the aircraft was manufactured by Cirrus but he did not immediately have additional details about the crash. He says the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.
Passenger jet with 71 on board crashes in Russia
A passenger plane with 71 people on board crashed shortly after leaving Moscow, with no hope of survival of the crew and passengers, media reported on Sunday.