12 killed in hotel inferno in Georgia's Black Sea city

TBILISI: Georgian leaders have vowed to punish those responsible for a blaze that killed 11 people at a five-star hotel in Georgia's Black Sea resort city of Batumi, reports AFP.

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who was returning Friday to the Georgian capital Tbilisi from a summit with EU leaders in Brussels, diverted his plane to Batumi upon learning of the fire at the posh 22-storey Leogrand hotel.

He pledged a prompt investigation into the cause of the blaze.

"All those responsible for this tragedy will be punished," he said late Friday.

Officials on yesterday revised down the death toll after initially putting it at 12 people.

"Eleven people died as a result of the fire" in Georgia's second-largest city of Batumi late Friday, the Caucasus nation's interior ministry said in a statement.

The victims -- 10 Georgians and an Iranian -- all died of smoke inhalation, the interior ministry said.

Twenty one people were hospitalised, mostly with carbon monoxide poisoning, and were in a stable condition, it added.

Five Turkish nationals and an Israeli were among those injured, regional health minister Zaal Mikeladze said.

The bodies of eight of the victims -- all of them men -- were found in an elevator, another body in a swimming pool and two more in a gym, Georgia's Interpress news agency reported, citing the victims' relatives.

 

12 killed in hotel inferno in Georgias Black Sea city

TBILISI: Georgian leaders have vowed to punish those responsible for a blaze that killed 11 people at a five-star hotel in Georgias Black Sea resort city of Batumi, reports AFP. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, who was returning Friday to the Georgian capital Tbilisi from a summit with EU leaders in Brussels, diverted his plane to Batumi upon learning of the fire at the posh 22-storey Leogrand hotel. He pledged a prompt investigation into the cause of the blaze. All those responsible for this tragedy will be punished, he said late Friday. Officials on yesterday revised down the death toll after initially putting it at 12 people. Eleven people died as a result of the fire in Georgias second-largest city of Batumi late Friday, the Caucasus nations interior ministry said in a statement. The victims -- 10 Georgians and an Iranian -- all died of smoke inhalation, the interior ministry said. Twenty one people were hospitalised, mostly with carbon monoxide poisoning, and were in a stable condition, it added. Five Turkish nationals and an Israeli were among those injured, regional health minister Zaal Mikeladze said. The bodies of eight of the victims -- all of them men -- were found in an elevator, another body in a swimming pool and two more in a gym, Georgias Interpress news agency reported, citing the victims relatives.