Children's death takes train blast death toll to 16
Two children have died after suffering severe burns in an explosion that followed a train derailment in northern Italy, bringing the death toll to 16, officials said today.
A three-year-old girl died at the Bambin Gesu hospital in Rome, said hospital official Marco Magheri.
A two-year-old boy died in the Meyer Hospital in Florence hospital, said spokesman Roberta Rezoalli.
Both children had suffered burns to 90% of their bodies, the officials said.
The tragedy happened when a train carrying liquefied gas derailed while travelling through a residential area in the Tuscan seaside town of Viareggio at around midnight on Monday. The derailment set off a massive explosion which caught many residents as they slept.
Twenty-seven people were injured, many of whom are in serious condition, Transport Minister Altero Matteoli said today as he briefed politicians on the disaster.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi said he was cancelling a trip to Libya following the accident.
Mr Berlusconi, whose country holds the G8 presidency, had been scheduled to attend an African Union summit.
