Stop Fundamentalism – Forty five fourth graders suffer burn injuries after a fire breakout in a primary girls’ school in Iranian West-Azerbaijan province today. At least six girls currently stay in critical condition at the Piranshahr hospital while some others were treated for minor injuries at the scene, reported Iranian news agencies.
Officials blame school’s heating system for the fire. In many parts of Iran schools still use non-standard fueled heaters to warm classrooms during the winter season causing many casualties and injuries among students specially the younger ones.
Following the fire, a blame game immediately started with Iranian officials pointing at each other as the party at fault. Piranshars representative in Iran’s Islamic Parliament (Majlis) called on the minister of education to resign and complained that in Iran “officials don’t take responsibility.”
Meanwhile education officials in the West-Azerbaijan province refuse to comment on the fire incident and are not answering phone calls, say reporters.
Also based on state-run news agency reports, reporters and photographers are currently barred from entering Piranshahr’s hospital.
