1.
GV Entrance to circus
0.05

2.
GV Charred remains of arena
0.21

3.
SV Smouldering costumes and debris
0.45

4.
GV Crowds look on
0.50

5.
SV PAN OVER Debris
0.58

6.
SV High-tension electric cables and telegraph pole burned out van (2 shots)
1.07

7.
CU Burned-out Land-rover
1.12

8.
CU Injured lions in cage
1.25

9.
CU Badly burned hippopotamus
1.34

10.
SV Crowds waiting outside hospital
1.40

11.
CU INTERIOR Badly burnt victims in bed (3 shots)
1.54




Initials BB





Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: INTRODUCTION: The death toll in a fire that swept through a circus tent in the south Indian city of Bangalore on Saturday (7 February) has now risen to 66. More than 300 people were detained in hospital. Investigators believe the fire was started by an electrical short circuit in the power lines inside the circus tent.

SYNOPSIS: Only the entrance to the circus remained after the fire. The big circus tent was crowded with people and performing animals when the fire broke out. Of the 66 people who died, 55 were children. Hundreds of badly burned people were taken to the local hospital which became so crowded that doctors were forced to treat casualties on make-shift beds in the corridors. When the fire broke out, there were estimated 2,000 people in the circus tent for a matinee performance especially for children.

The circus tent collapsed when the flames took hold and many of the injured were hurt in the stampede which followed.

Investigators at the scene have pin-pointed this high-tension electric power line as the cause of the blaze.

Among the victims were some of the circus animals. These lions were burned.

This hippopotamus was pulled to safety by circus handlers but was badly burned.

Relatives of the injured were still waiting outside the hospital two days after the fire, as doctors fought to save the lives of dozens of very badly burned people. Hundreds of volunteers had given blood in response to radio appeals for donors.