Chile Forest Fire Leaves at Least 15 Dead, 1,000 Homes Destroyed

A deadly forest fire in the port city of Valparaiso, Chile, has killed at least 11 people, and destroyed 2,000 homes with strong winds fanning the flames, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said on Sunday.  

A state of emergency has been declared by the country’s president in an effort to help the army battle the fires.

At least 12 people have been killed in the fire that swept more than 2.5 million square meters (660 acres). Valparaiso Police Chief Julio Pineda who spoke to 24 Horas television said earlier that 16 people had been killed, but it turned out that one family was counted twice.

Flames are blazing in the urban area that is only 80 kilometers from the country’s capital, Santiago, while strong winds are drives the flames on to the central port cities of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar, situated on the Pacific Coast.

"It is a terrible tragedy, without doubt the worst fire in the history of Valparaiso," President Michelle Bachelet stated upon arrival in the city, according to AFP.

"This is the worst disaster I've seen in Valparaiso," La Prensa reported Ricardo Bravo, the local mayor, as saying.

VIDEO: Stella Damasus Spits Fire over Under-Age Marriage.

Nigerian movie star and singer Stella Damasus expresses her anger over the issue of under-aged marriage being discussed in the Nigerian senate.

Fire at psychiatric hospital in Russia kills 38 amid fears patients were sedated and strapped to their beds

A fire has torn through a psychiatric hospital in Russia, killing 38 people, many of them in their beds.

The blaze broke out at the single-storey hospital building in the village of Ramensky, 70 miles north of Moscow, at around 2am local time this morning.

There were 41 people believed to be inside the building at the time – 36 patients, three nurses and two doctors.

Only three people – believed to be a nurse and two patients – escaped the fire, prompting speculation the patients were heavily sedated or strapped down and unable to escape.

At least 29 people were burned alive, said Irina Gumennaya, a spokeswoman for the federal Investigative Committee.

UPDATE: Ogun State On Fire

Ogun State Speaker suspended 4 Members and The house turned around and suspended the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Majority Leader. Mace Has been Broken. Supporters Are All mobilizing from different parts of the state towards the House of Assembly in Abeokuta Right.
So we are looking at a possible break down of law and order.

Fire at illegal market In India kills at least 19

A fire that swept through a six-story building in the east Indian city of Kolkata killed at least 18 people early Wednesday morning, authorities said.
The blaze injured at least eight more people, said state fire services minister Javed Khan.
The building, which was very old, housed businesses and residential apartments, he said. The fire has been put out and rescue services completed. No one is believe to be trapped inside.