Three-year-old triplets dead in Qatar fire

NEW ZEALAND: Three New Zealand triplets were among 13 children who died when a fire tore through a shopping centre in Doha, claiming a total of 19 lives, Prime Minister John Key said Tuesday.

Key said the triplets, believed to be three-year-olds, were in a nursery in the Villagio mall in the Qatari capital when the blaze erupted.

He said their parents were New Zealanders who had been working in the country for some time.

“It’s a great tragedy,” Key told reporters.

“Their family are obviously dealing with the terrible grief that they have at this time.

Obviously it’s a very tragic day for that family.” Key said the children’s grandparents were flying to Qatar to support the family and New Zealand consular officials were also offering assistance.

Radio New Zealand named the triplets as Lillie, Jackson and Willsher Weekes.

“The volume of smoke coming out of it, it looked like you had 30 steam trains all pumping their smoke out above it,” Bazley told Radio New Zealand.

AFP