Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday expressed "deep condolences" over a fire tragedy in a Kerala temple that left around 100 people dead.
"The people and the government of Pakistan express their deep condolences on the loss of precious lives, resulting from a fire in the temple," a foreign office spokesman said.
"Our sympathies are with the bereaved families. We wish early recovery to all injured people."
The fire set off by an illegal fireworks shows in a hindu temple has left over 350 injured with many of them in critical condition. According to witnesses a flying spart from a cracker landed in a building where a large quantity of crackers had been stored, setting off the blaze.
The incident occurred in the coastal town of Paravur in Kollam district around 3.30 a.m. when a large crowd of devotees had assembled. The temple, dedicated to Puttingal Devi, normally opens at 5 in the morning. So deadly was the tragedy that most people got barely any time to escape from the exploding crackers and leaping flames.
The prime minister announced Rs.2 lakh each as compensation to the next of the kin of the dead and Rs.50,000 each to the injured.
IANS
