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Dutch press alleges airport fire disaster negligence
10/29/2005
AMSTERDAM, Oct 28 (AFP): The Dutch press Friday said a lack of personnel and fire preparedness may have caused a blaze that caused 11 deaths at an airport detention center for illegal immigrants and alleged drug smugglers.
A survivor said detainees screamed vainly for help as flames erupted in a wing of the prefabricated complex at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, housing about 350 people.
"Eleven illegals were killed like rats in a trap because of the delay in manually opening the cell doors," said the daily De Telegraaf, which said guards were hesitant to intervene in the first moments after the blaze was detected.
The cell doors could only be opened manually, one at a time, and 10 or 12 cells out of 24 in the wing were destroyed, said Michel Bezuijen, mayor of Harlemmermeer, which includes Schiphol.
The Algemeen Dagblad newspaper recalled negative reports from fire protection services while the building was being constructed, and said "the cells were illegal."
The daily Trouw denounced a shortage of personnel, saying "350 inmates were under the surveillance of three guards, of whom two were temporary hires."
According to the daily Volkskrant, the guards were insufficiently trained.
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