BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 274 people were killed and dozens more injured Sunday in a fire that swept through a supermarket on the outskirts of Paraguay's capital Asuncion, reports reaching here from Asuncion said.

    The fire broke out at a time when the supermarket was crowded with Sunday midday shoppers. The reports said at least 400 people are believed to have been inside the shopping center, which is part of the complex that also houses offices and an underground parking lot.

    Police said firefighters and police are recovering bodies and rescuing the injured from the complex and the death toll could rise further.

    The tragedy was likely caused by the gas canisters in a kitchen in the supermarket, the reports said.

    Officials gave no cause for the blaze, but said an explosion was heard moments before the fire broke out, according to reports.

    Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte has visited the scene and vowed to reduce the magnitude of the disaster. Enditem

Over 300 killed in supermarket fire, president announces national mourning

     BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte announced late Sunday a three-day national mourning from Monday for the victims in a fire that swept through a supermarket on the outskirts of the country's capital Asuncion, while a Paraguayan TV station reported that the death toll had surpassed 300.

    In an open letter to the public on Sunday night, Duarte promised that the government would do its utmost to find out the cause of the fire, according to reports reaching here from Asuncion.

    He also expressed his thanks to all the relief workers for their efforts, and to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia for their assistance.

    During a visit to the disaster scene earlier in the day, Duarte vowed to minimize the impact of the disaster.

    Earlier, the government confirmed that 256 people were killed and hundreds of others injured in the incident and that the death toll was expected to rise

    The fire broke out at a time when the supermarket was crowded with Sunday midday shoppers. The reports said nearly 1,000 people had been inside the shopping center, which is part of the complex that also houses offices and an underground parking lot.

    Police said firefighters and police are recovering bodies and rescuing the injured from the complex.

    Police said two explosions were heard moments before the fire broke out. The blasts were likely to be caused by gas leak of the gas canisters in the supermarket and subsequently ignited the devastating blaze that consumed a significant part of the supermarket within the shopping complex.

    Officials said there were concerns that the 30-meter-high complex might collapse.

    The shopping center belongs to the Ycua Bolanos chain and includes several fast-food outlets in addition to the store.

    Witnesses said that doors within the complex had been deliberately closed so that people could not leave without paying,and that this had hampered people seeking to escape.

    The owner of the complex has surrendered himself to the police in the wake of the blaze, but denied categorically that there had been an order to close the complex's doors.

    Hundreds of fire fighters, emergency workers, doctors, military servicemen and volunteers rushed to the site and fought the fire. The flame was controlled three hours later and was extinguished at about 6:00 p.m. local time.

    The rescuers were still recovering bodies from the debris, and nearly 130 bodies have been identified but many others cannot be identified because of being badly burned.

    Argentina and Spain have offered Paraguay emergent medical aid.Enditem