Atlanta toddler among victims in Qatar mall fire

An Atlanta toddler visiting Qatar with her parents was among the 13 children killed Monday in a fire that tore through an upscale mall in the Gulf state's capital city.

An official with Midtown's Primrose School said she was notified Tuesday by Zeinah Aouani's mother that the 2 1/2-year-old girl perished in the blaze, which has raised questions about safety standards in the tony mega-structures that have popped up throughout the oil-rich country.

"When her mother called me this morning, she was very calm and matter of fact, then of course within an instant, burst into tears as she shared her sorrow," Primrose's Executive Director Sharon Wilensky wrote in an email sent to parents Tuesday.

"She said that Primrose was the only family that she had here and that after a ceremony in Qatar, they would be back here for us to be able to share her daughter’s passing," Wilensky wrote. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to [Zeinah's parents] Grace and Zaier during this horrific time."

The damage caused by the fire in the Villaggio Mall, located in Doha's west end, was exacerbated by a malfunctioning sprinkler system, according to Qatar's Interior Ministry.

An Al Arab journalist, Marzouki Faisal, reported the route to the Villaggio daycare center wound through a "maze" of narrow halls and stairways.

"What happened is murder as a result of negligence and idleness," he wrote.

Firefighters, two of whom were killed, had to hack through the roof of Qatar's largest mall to reach the daycare, where Zeinah and 2-year-old New Zealand triplets Lillie, Jackson and Willsher Weekes, were among the victims.

"Lillie, Jackson and Willsher came into this world together and were inseparable as siblings, best friends and the joy of our life," read a statement issued by the triplets' family. "Tragically, they left together after only two short years."

Spain's El Pais newspaper reported that three siblings, aged 2 to 7, and a 7-year-old girl from another family died in the blaze. A three-year-old French child and South African toddler were also killed.

Wilensky said Zeinah made quite an impression on her teachers at Primrose.

"This family has touched our hearts from the beginning and we will miss Zeinah," Wilensky wrote. "I can tell you this, this vibrant young girl taught our teachers patience and love like no other. What a wonderful family and what a huge loss. There is no sense to be made of a tragedy like this."