Gandhi pledges aid to victims of school fire tragedy

INDIAN political leader Sonia Gandhi yesterday visited the site of a school fire that killed around 90 children and pledged €177,000 in aid.

Meanwhile, hundreds of schools across the nation remained closed in response to the disaster.

The authorities were continuing their investigations into Friday's blaze at the private Lord Krishna Middle School in Tamil Nadu, which was apparently sparked by dry coconut leaves used as firewood in a makeshift kitchen.