L.J
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53 dead in bombing at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad
From correspondents in Islamabad
September 21, 2008 06:23pm
MASKED rescuers carrying stretchers today tried to enter the smouldering ruins of Islamabad's Marriott Hotel to search for bodies and possible survivors from a huge suicide bomb attack.
The Czech ambassador to Pakistan, Ivo Zdarek, is among 53 people confirmed to have been killed in the Saturday evening bombing.
"The Czech ambassador is among them. He has been identified," Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said.
Along with deaths, 200 people were injured when a suicide bomber detonated a truck packed with explosives at a security barrier outside the main entrance of the hotel just as it was full of guests breaking the Ramadan fast last night.
Military firefighters in blue helmets and khaki outfits could be seen today gingerly entering the 300-room hotel, but they were later forced to retreat because the structure was deemed too unstable.
Other teams in orange chemical protection suits managed to probe deeper into the building, where it was feared many guests were trapped by a huge inferno triggered by Saturday night's bombing.
Firefighters worked through the night to try to dampen the blaze which totally destroyed the six-story building, but so far they have only been able to enter parts of the lobby and restaurants on the ground floor.
Hundreds of armed police and soldiers ringed the scene, while army bulldozers cleared rubble from nearby streets.
Many of the known casualties so far were security guards and other people standing outside the hotel entrance or in the lobby.
Others were people seen jumping from the upper floors of the hotel.
Continued.....
This is just horrible :no:
Incredible force ... the huge crater left by the truck blast / AFP
Images here
From correspondents in Islamabad
September 21, 2008 06:23pm
- At least 53 dead in hotel bombing
- Victims leapt to death escaping flames
- Bloody mayhem at hotel blast site
MASKED rescuers carrying stretchers today tried to enter the smouldering ruins of Islamabad's Marriott Hotel to search for bodies and possible survivors from a huge suicide bomb attack.
The Czech ambassador to Pakistan, Ivo Zdarek, is among 53 people confirmed to have been killed in the Saturday evening bombing.
"The Czech ambassador is among them. He has been identified," Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said.
Along with deaths, 200 people were injured when a suicide bomber detonated a truck packed with explosives at a security barrier outside the main entrance of the hotel just as it was full of guests breaking the Ramadan fast last night.
Military firefighters in blue helmets and khaki outfits could be seen today gingerly entering the 300-room hotel, but they were later forced to retreat because the structure was deemed too unstable.
Other teams in orange chemical protection suits managed to probe deeper into the building, where it was feared many guests were trapped by a huge inferno triggered by Saturday night's bombing.
Firefighters worked through the night to try to dampen the blaze which totally destroyed the six-story building, but so far they have only been able to enter parts of the lobby and restaurants on the ground floor.
Hundreds of armed police and soldiers ringed the scene, while army bulldozers cleared rubble from nearby streets.
Many of the known casualties so far were security guards and other people standing outside the hotel entrance or in the lobby.
Others were people seen jumping from the upper floors of the hotel.
Continued.....
This is just horrible :no:
Incredible force ... the huge crater left by the truck blast / AFP
Images here
so very sad.....
