Family members of victims of a fire react in grief after a fire took hold of the Villaggio Mall, in Doha's west end, in the Qatari capital of Doha Monday May 28, 2012. Qatar's Interior Ministry said 13 children were among 19 people killed in a fire that broke out at one of the Gulf state's fanciest shopping mall on Monday. The Villaggio opened in 2006 and is one of Qatar's most popular shopping and amusement destinations. It includes an ice skating rink and indoor Venice-style gondola rides. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal)
DOHA, Qatar - Investigators in Qatar have opened a state-ordered probe into a mall fire that killed 19 people, including 13 children at a daycare centre catering to the Gulf nation's expatriate communities.
The inquest began Tuesday amid questions by Qatari commentators and others about permitting such child care centres in commercial buildings. Among the victims were 2-year-old New Zealand triplets, four children from Spain and an 18-month-old toddler from South Africa.
Rescue crews had to hack through the roof of the vast Villaggio mall on Monday to reach the child care facility.
The official Qatar News Agency says findings by the special investigators are expected within a week.
