One more child dies after Mexico day care centre fire - toll at 45

Jun 14, 2009, 2:36 GMT

Mexico City - A three-year-old boy who was severely injured in last week's fire at a day care centre in Mexico died in a hospital in Guadalajara, his grandmother said.

With this, the toll in the June 6 fire at the day care centre in the Mexican city of Hermosillo rose to 45 on Saturday.

The latest victim, Juan Israel Fernández, died on Friday, his grandmother Olivia Mendez Galindo said. Nine other victims were still being treated in the same hospital.

Mexican Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora said last week that the fire started in a warehouse due to an overheated air conditioner, and burned for 20-25 minutes before it moved to the centre.

Warehouse staff left at 2:15 p.m. that day, about 45 minutes before the day care centre went up in flames.

People at the centre did not notice the flames until it was too late, since the smoke first gathered in the space between the metal plate roof and the polyurethane isolation.

Teachers first noticed it when the polyurethane started to melt and give out toxic gases.

Beyond the 45 dead - from newborns to 5-year-olds - the fire caused injuries to 25 children and four adults. Several children remained in very serious condition due to burns or intoxication.