A fire at an upmarket shopping mall in Doha which killed at least 19 people, the majority of them children, is being investigated by authorities in the Qatari capital.
The interior ministry said 13 of the victims at the Villaggio mall were children. Four of them were Spanish nationals, three from New Zealand and one child was French.
The Villaggio mall opened in 2006 and is one of Qatar’s most popular shopping and amusement destinations.
It is believed the fire started in the centre’s nursery. Early eyewitness reports indicated that the mall’s fire alarms were not strong enough to alert shoppers to the fire danger.
Triplets from New Zealand were among 13 children and six adults killed.
The Villaggio includes an ice-skating rink, theme park, cinema and indoor Venice-style gondola rides.
