Six firemen die in Croatian island blaze

ZAGREB, Aug 31 (Reuters) Six Croatian firemen died and seven others were injured while fighting a huge blaze on an uninhabited island in the central Adriatic, police said today.

They said in a statement carried by state news agency Hina that the fire started in a bay on the Kornat island, which is part of the picturesque Kornati archipelago national park.

The archipelago is largely uninhabited but its scenic beauty and crystal-clear sea draws hundreds of tourists and yachts every summer.

The Jutarnji List daily said the firemen were trapped on a high ground when strong sudden winds changed direction. The six died on the spot and seven others were taken to hospital with various degrees of burns.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, who visited the injured firemen in hospital in Zadar called for an investigation to determine if the fire was deliberate. Police said that eight people have been detained for questioning on suspicion of arson.

''At first I could not believe the news of this tragedy. This is beyond words,'' Sanader said.

Forest fires killed 63 people in Greece and left thousands homeless.

Reuters KK RN1430