11 people die in fire in airport holding centre in the Netherlands
posted by megan | 27.10.2005 14:38
11 people have died whilst waiting to be expelled from Fortress Europe.
Of course the key issue is not only that people seeking refuge from wars both military and economic are provided with protection but that the welathy nations bleeding their countries dry of resources and skilled people are made to change the policies and practices that are creating the conditions forcing people to flee in such great numbers.
Of course the key issue is not only that people seeking refuge from wars both military and economic are provided with protection but that the welathy nations bleeding their countries dry of resources and skilled people are made to change the policies and practices that are creating the conditions forcing people to flee in such great numbers.
11 detainees die in fire at Netherlands detention centre
"detainees say that staff initially failed to react to their shouts for help"
"In the recent months, we have witnessed a series of tragic events in which a number of immigrants have died. This latest incident in the Netherlands, together with the fires in several buildings housing immigrants in Paris and the recent dramatic events in Ceuta and Mellila, to name just a few, should serve as a warning of the hazardous situation affecting migrants in many of the Council of Europe member states. We must never forget that the bottom line of our migration policies and procedures must be respect for human rights, human dignity and the physical and mental integrity of the persons involved," he concluded." Terry Davis Secretary General of the Council of Europe
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Eleven people die in blaze at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport
Radio Netherlands Wednesday 27th October 2005
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051027?view=Standard
At least 11 people died on Wednesday night when fire broke out in a detention centre at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The building, completed in late 2002, had already been the scene of fire shortly after it opened. A number of detainees say that staff initially failed to react to their shouts for help. The authorities have launched an independent inquiry into the precise cause of the blaze.
The fire broke out in one wing of the complex shortly after midnight and spread quickly. At the time, the wing housed a total of 43 people, 11 of whom are now known to have died.. A large number of vehicles from the fire service were called in to tackle the flames, and it took some three hours before the blaze was under control. In addition to the 11 people who lost their lives, another 15 were injured, including staff who work in the building.
The detention centre is used to house illegal immigrants pending their deportation, suspected drug smugglers, and people who have been refused entry to the Netherlands. The 43 detainees in the affected part of the complex were housed in 24 two-person cells, around half of which were directly affected by the blaze. Personnel had to open each individual cell manually. The authorities later commented that it was not possible to open all the cells simultaneously by electronic means.
Warnings ignored
One detainee said that staff initially refused to believed a fire had broken out: "They said things like 'there's nothing wrong'. The doors weren't opened. We just stayed closed in."During the ensuing chaos, an unknown number of inmates managed to escape. Three of them were later found by the police.
The complex was hit by fire on a previous occasion in November 2002, shortly after construction work had finished. It was not yet in use at that time and there were no casualties.
The local authorities in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, in which Schiphol Airport is located, have launched an independent investigation. The inquiry will not only focus on the exact circumstances of the fire and the role played by the emergency services, but also on other factors. The deputy mayor of Haarlemmermeer told public television: "We'll also be looking at the permits, security and whether any drills had ever been held."
Meanwhile, the European Group for the Rights of Prisoners (EORG) has said it wants to know how it was possible for the fire to spread so quickly from one cell to another, especially given the fact that there had already been a fire in the building.
The detention centre was built in 2002 to cope with the rapidly growing need for cells at Amsterdam's busy international airport. Schiphol now has its own courtroom to deal with cases on the spot, and to relieve the pressure on the legal system in the surrounding area.
Shock
The Dutch political world has reacted with shock to the news of the blaze. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said: "I am shocked by a disaster of this size. Our thoughts are with the families of those who died."Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner and his colleague at the Ministry for Immigration, Rita Verdonk, are to visit the scene of the fire today. Other politicians have welcomed the independent inquiry and would like to know whether the detention centre met all the statutory safety requirements.
© Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, all rights reserved
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End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
Radio Netherlands Wednesday 27th October 2005
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051027?view=Standard
"detainees say that staff initially failed to react to their shouts for help"
"In the recent months, we have witnessed a series of tragic events in which a number of immigrants have died. This latest incident in the Netherlands, together with the fires in several buildings housing immigrants in Paris and the recent dramatic events in Ceuta and Mellila, to name just a few, should serve as a warning of the hazardous situation affecting migrants in many of the Council of Europe member states. We must never forget that the bottom line of our migration policies and procedures must be respect for human rights, human dignity and the physical and mental integrity of the persons involved," he concluded." Terry Davis Secretary General of the Council of Europe
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eleven people die in blaze at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport
Radio Netherlands Wednesday 27th October 2005
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051027?view=Standard
At least 11 people died on Wednesday night when fire broke out in a detention centre at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The building, completed in late 2002, had already been the scene of fire shortly after it opened. A number of detainees say that staff initially failed to react to their shouts for help. The authorities have launched an independent inquiry into the precise cause of the blaze.
The fire broke out in one wing of the complex shortly after midnight and spread quickly. At the time, the wing housed a total of 43 people, 11 of whom are now known to have died.. A large number of vehicles from the fire service were called in to tackle the flames, and it took some three hours before the blaze was under control. In addition to the 11 people who lost their lives, another 15 were injured, including staff who work in the building.
The detention centre is used to house illegal immigrants pending their deportation, suspected drug smugglers, and people who have been refused entry to the Netherlands. The 43 detainees in the affected part of the complex were housed in 24 two-person cells, around half of which were directly affected by the blaze. Personnel had to open each individual cell manually. The authorities later commented that it was not possible to open all the cells simultaneously by electronic means.
Warnings ignored
One detainee said that staff initially refused to believed a fire had broken out: "They said things like 'there's nothing wrong'. The doors weren't opened. We just stayed closed in."During the ensuing chaos, an unknown number of inmates managed to escape. Three of them were later found by the police.
The complex was hit by fire on a previous occasion in November 2002, shortly after construction work had finished. It was not yet in use at that time and there were no casualties.
The local authorities in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, in which Schiphol Airport is located, have launched an independent investigation. The inquiry will not only focus on the exact circumstances of the fire and the role played by the emergency services, but also on other factors. The deputy mayor of Haarlemmermeer told public television: "We'll also be looking at the permits, security and whether any drills had ever been held."
Meanwhile, the European Group for the Rights of Prisoners (EORG) has said it wants to know how it was possible for the fire to spread so quickly from one cell to another, especially given the fact that there had already been a fire in the building.
The detention centre was built in 2002 to cope with the rapidly growing need for cells at Amsterdam's busy international airport. Schiphol now has its own courtroom to deal with cases on the spot, and to relieve the pressure on the legal system in the surrounding area.
Shock
The Dutch political world has reacted with shock to the news of the blaze. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said: "I am shocked by a disaster of this size. Our thoughts are with the families of those who died."Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner and his colleague at the Ministry for Immigration, Rita Verdonk, are to visit the scene of the fire today. Other politicians have welcomed the independent inquiry and would like to know whether the detention centre met all the statutory safety requirements.
© Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, all rights reserved
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
Radio Netherlands Wednesday 27th October 2005
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/currentaffairs/region/netherlands/ned051027?view=Standard
posted by megan
