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The Nation
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Published: December 28, 2008
7 die in fire at a duplex after failing to get out
PHILADELPHIA -- A duplex fire apparently caused by fuel spilling from an overfilled kerosene heater killed seven people in a basement that had only one exit, a survivor and firefighters said.
That injured survivor described standing in a shower with the water running in a desperate bid to escape the initial flames, then running for his life.
Three of the victims of the Friday night fire were children, including a 1-year-old who was cradled in the arms of another victim, authorities said. Six of them were huddled together, and the seventh was found near the exit.
Four people survived the fire at a three-story, brick duplex in a working-class neighborhood close to Philadelphia International Airport, fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.
New light-rail system draws thousands of Phoenix riders
PHOENIX -- Thousands of people packed into train cars yesterday as this car-crazy city started its new light-rail system amid criticism that ridership would be limited by urban sprawl and the area's grueling summer heat.
Despite lingering questions over whether the system would be of much use, several riders waiting at a busy station applauded the new trains as convenient, good for the environment and economical.
"I am an environmentalist," said Dean Pedrotti, a hazardous-materials inspector for the fire department who rides his bike to work at least once a week. "So, to me, this is the right way to go."
Tour bus loses control on icy roads, killing 2
CORONA, N.M. -- Police in central New Mexico say that a tour bus lost control in an area with icy roads and overturned, killing two people and injuring at least 50 others.
The Torrance County Sheriff's Department said that the bus was traveling north on U.S. 54 near Corona when the driver lost control.
The bus hit the median and overturned.
The injured included a 9-year-old child.
The bus had come from El Paso, Texas, but authorities did not immediately say where it was headed.
Schools in Ohio keeping cafeterias open for holidays
CINCINNATI -- A school district in Ohio says that the economy is so tight it has kept its cafeterias open during Christmas break to provide hot lunches for needy students.
It's the first time North College Hill School district outside Cincinnati has kept its lunch lines going through the holiday break.
Officials said that two-thirds of the district's 1,600 students are economically disadvantaged, up from fewer than one in 10 in the late 1990s.
The national School Nutrition Association said that almost 80 percent of the schools it surveyed are reporting an increase in the number of free lunches served this year.
Waterford ball to signal new year put on display
NEW YORK -- The Waterford Crystal ball that drops in Times Square to signal the start of the new year is being displayed at its new permanent perch.
Organizers of the New Year's Eve party say that the bigger, brighter ball will remain in place all year atop the building at 1 Times Square to celebrate other holidays including Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July and Halloween.
Workers using special tools are installing the dazzling new crystal triangles on the ball.
The 2,700 Waterford Crystal triangles feature a new "Let There Be Joy" design. They depict an angel with uplifted arms. They have cuts on both sides to maximize the light refraction within them.
The ball is on display beginning yesterday.
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