Seven die in Dijon immigrants' hostel fire

Seven people were killed in a fire in an immigrant workers’ hostel in the Burgundy town of Dijon on Saturday night. Officials are looking into the origins of the blaze.

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Occupants of the nine-floor building jumped from the windows, while others were suffocated by smoke, according to firefighters who arrived at the scene 10 minutes after being called to find the flames raging.

As well as the seven dead, four people were seriously injured and another 130 were affected, for the most part overcome by fumes.

Three of the 93 firefighters who fought the flames were also affected by fumes, officials say.

The fire started in “one or more” dustbin, according to public prosecutors, who have opened an inquiry to see if it was started deliberately or by negligence.