MANILA, Philippines—Three Filipinos died of asphyxiation in a fire that erupted at a nursery in Villaggio mall, Doha, Qatar, on Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a report from Radyo Inquirer early Tuesday.
In an interview with Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, it was confirmed that three unidentified Filipinos were among the 19— about 13 of them were children—who perished in the fire.
Another Filipino, a certain “Michael” was hurt in the fire.
In an earlier report from Agence France-Presse, it was said four of the 13 children—seven girls and six boys—were Spanish, one was French.
The AFP report also said two members of the civil defense also died in the fire.
Villaggio Mall was opened in 2006. The Venetian-styled center boasts a mall area of 125,000 square meters. Its main feature is a canal on which genuine gondolas ferry visitors through the mall.
For more, listen to the attached audio clip from Radyo Inquirer.