14 missing in deadly Ukraine fire: President

December 06, 2019 | 09:45

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Fourteen people remain missing from a fire that claimed a student's life in Ukraine's southern port city of Odessa, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday (Dec 5).

14 missing in deadly ukraine fire president

The blaze had been contained by Thursday morning, but dozens of firefighters were still combing through the partly destroyed walls of the six-storey building. (Photo: AFP/Oleksandr Gimanov)

The fire broke out in a college building in central Odessa on Wednesday, killing a 16-year-old female student and injuring 27 others.

The blaze had been contained by Thursday morning, but dozens of firefighters were still combing through the partly destroyed walls of the six-storey building.

Zelensky wrote in a Facebook post: "We all hope that of the 14 missing people, as many as possible will be found safe and sound. But I do not want to deceive anyone -- there may be more victims."

Seven firefighters were among the injured and five people were in a serious condition.

"We all are praying" for them, said Zelensky, 41. "We know that doctors are doing everything possible to save them. And impossible too."

The authorities have opened a probe into the blaze.

The mayor of Odessa said the city would observe two days of mourning on Thursday and Friday.

AFP

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