Stampede at Afghan school kills 4 children, 15 hurt

KABUL, June 18 (Reuters) Four Afghan schoolchildren died and 15 were injured in a stampede today after a fire broke out in the kitchen of their building, police said.

The incident occurred in a three-storey primary school in the western city of Herat, provincial police chief Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said.

''The fire started to engulf a nearby classroom and the children started to flee,'' he said. ''Four girl children were killed and 15 others were hurt in the stampede.'' The fire was brought under control, he said.

REUTERS CH BD1204