School Collapse in Haiti Kills 80, Hundreds Trapped

Dozens of children have died in Haiti after a school collapsed near Port-au-Prince, the nation's capital. The death toll is now reported to be over 80 and rapidly approaching 100 . The collapse took place around 10 a.m. yesterday morning in a school with more than 700 students of ages ranging from 10 to 20. A journalist with the Haiti Press Network reported that more than 200 students were still trapped in the rubble as of midnight last night and another 200 have been treated by medical staff in the area. However two of the three nearby hospitals have been shut down due to worker strikes.

The rescue effort is being overseen by Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis. Preval told the press he could hear children stuck inside calling for help as he visited the disaster site. One Red Cross official who was talking to rescuers on the scene said, "On the phone you can hear so many children, you know, crying, crying, and saying, "This one is dead. that one is dead.'"

Questions are already being raised about whether the school was overpopulated past what its capacity should have been. The school has been described as "poorly built" and is located in a very impoverished part of town.

Photo Courtesy AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

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By Billy Parker in News on November 8, 2008 9:56 AM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

Watch it, Snoop. The Tonton Macoute's gonna put a voodoo curse on yo ass.

Snoopy

The blacks wanted their own country and they got it. Pretty amazing what they can do given their freedom.

NannyState

They say that Haiti has been cursed ever since they declared their independence in 1804. And every year I believe that story more and more. If you want a broken heart, just think about Haiti.

HUGO_MEGO

#7, TSOL, Slick Willie left Haiti because he hates black people.

I wonder what THE ONE will do about Haiti?

tsol

In 1994 Clinton ordered the US invasion of Haiti, declared victory in 1995, and pulled the US troops out.

The United Nations has had thousands of peace keepers and aid workers in Haiti since 2004.

Slick Willie knew better than to throw more American lives down the crapper- he left Haiti to our International Betters to work their magic on.

Pharmer

Reminds me of the collapsed school in China over the summer.

mocanlagunas

if we start with news of all the nationalities in NY we'd end with a good news blog, not like the media we're fed (fed up?)

Steven

Yeah, NYC and the surrounding area does have a lot of Haitians.

Rfive

ever think that maybe there's a lot of haitians in NYC tj?

TJ

Haiti-ist is down today?

or have we decided to cover international news here as well?

Snoopy

Two out of three hospitals are on strike. That is not good. Bush! Send in some help for those innocent victims instead of that bullshit war you started half a world away.