Siran Yeganeh, a 10-year old student who suffered severe burns in a school fire accident in the northwestern Iranian village of Sheenabad, has died from her injuries.
Rasoul Khezri, a local MP, told the Khabar-on-line website: “Respiratory problems, severe burns and poisonous gas inhalation were causes of her death.”
The Education Minister, who appeared in Parliament today to apologize for the incident in the grade four classroom, claimed that he had visited the students and that some of them were so well on their way to recovery that they had “stood up and chanted anthems” upon his arrival.
A kerosene heater burst last Wednesday in a grade four class, wounding scores of students.
Reports indicate that the 16 students with less extensive burns were taken to Oroumiyeh Hospital, and the 12 with burns to over 50 percent of their bodies were hospitalized in Tabriz. Now, with the death of Siran Yeganeh, there are only 11.
Some MPs have called for the resignation or impeachment of the Education Minister in view of the recent incident.
