11 killed, 53 injured in refugee camp fire in central Gaza

At least 11 Palestinians were killed and 53 injured on Thursday in a large fire in a bakery in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, the local health ministry said.

The ministry said in a press statement that the killed include four women while 14 of the injured are in serious condition. The bakery fire in the refugee camp was caused by an explosion of gas balloons inside the bakery, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defense. The huge fire also did severe damage to several houses in the overcrowded refugee camp as well as cars and more than 20 stores. Eyewitnesses said the firefighters at the scene had difficulty in putting out the fire. The accident is under police investigation.