SIGN: BURNED OUT BUILDING: HAND IN WRECKAGE: MAN WITH BANDAGED HAND: CROWD; CRUSHED CAR: PART OF DAMAGED BUILDING PULLED DOWN: FLAT AT HALF MAST: PEOPLE MOURNING: COFFIN: PEOPLE GO INTO CHURCH:




Initials JP/VS/RM/LD



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Background: THIRTEEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED LAST NIGHT (TUESDAY) IN THE SMALL SPANISH TOWN OF GUIJUELO - 100 MILES (160 KMS) WEST OF MADRID - WHEN A WAREHOUSE WAS BLOWN TO BITS DURING THE LOCAL FIESTA.

TROOPS, RESCUE WORKERS AND POLICE TODAY RECOVERED 10 BODIES FROM A MOUND OF STONE AND RUBBLE LEFT BY THE EXPLOSION.

ANOTHER THREE PEOPLE, INCLUDING A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY, DIED IN HOSPITALS IN NEARBY SALAMANCA. THE EXPLOSION OCCURRED WHEN GAS IGNITED IN THE WAREHOUSE.

SOME OF THE DEAD - RETURNING FROM A LOCAL BULLFIGHT OR CELEBRATING THE FIESTA - WERE DECAPITATED BY BLOCKS OF STONE HURLED OUT INTO THE AIR AS THE BUILDING ERUPTED. FLYING RUBBLE HIT PEOPLE SITTING IN A CAFE 30 YARDS (METERS) AWAY AND EIGHT PEOPLE WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. A TEAM OF DOCTORS AND NURSES GAVE FIRST AID TO BETWEEN 40 AND 50 PEOPLE, WHO SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.

THE EXPLOSION COULD HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN SET OFF BY A FIREWORK, A LIGHTED CIGARETTE END OR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT.