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A crowd apparently scared by gunfire and an electrical explosion ran in panic at an event to hand out money during Ramadan in Yemen’s capital late on Wednesday, with the resulting crush killing at least 78 people and injuring at least 73 others, according to witnesses and Houthi rebel officials, The Guardian reported.

The tragedy was Yemen’s deadliest in years that was not related to its long-running war, and came ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan this week.

Armed Houthis fired into the air in an attempt at crowd control, apparently striking an electrical wire and causing an explosion, according to two witnesses, Abdel-Rahman Ahmed and Yahia Mohsen. That sparked a panic, and people including many women and children, began running, they said.

The crush took place in the Old City in the center of Sana’a, where hundreds of poor people had gathered for a charity event organised by merchants, according to the Houthi-run interior ministry, according to The Guardian.

People had gathered to receive about $10 each from a charity funded by local businesses, witnesses said. Wealthy people and businesses often hand out cash and food, especially to the poor, during Ramadan.

Abdel-Khaleq al-Aghri from the interior ministry blamed the crush on the “random distribution” of funds without coordination with local authorities.

Motaher al-Marouni, a senior health official, said 78 people were killed, according to the rebels’ al-Masirah satellite TV channel. At least 73 others were injured and taken to the al-Thowra Hospital in Sana’a, according to hospital deputy director Hamdan Bagheri.

The rebels quickly sealed off a school where the event was being held and barred people, including journalists, from approaching.

The interior ministry said it had detained two organisers and an investigation was under way.

The Houthis said they would pay about $2,000 in compensation to each family who lost a relative while the injured would get about $400, The Guardian reported.

Yemen’s capital has been under the control of the Iranian-backed Houthis since they descended from their northern stronghold in 2014 and removed the internationally recognised government.

That prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 to try to restore the government.

The conflict has turned in recent years into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, killing more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians and creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

More than 21 million people in Yemen, or two-thirds of the country’s population, need help and protection, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Among those in need, more than 17 million are considered particularly vulnerable.

In February the UN said it had raised only $1.2bn out of a target of $4.3bn at a conference aimed at generating funds to ease the humanitarian crisis.

Ten houses were destroyed in separate incidents of fire in Banke district. Properties worth around Rs 2.5 million were destroyed in the incidents, police said. Five houses were completely destroyed and two others partially damaged when a fire broke out at Gegli Village in Narainapur Rural Municipality-3 on Wednesday evening, said Inspector Rajan Rayamajhi. Similarly, a fire broke out at Janatapur of the rural municipality, reducing three houses and an animal shed to cinders. Properties worth around Rs 1.5 million were destroyed in the flame, he said. Fire in both places was doused with the help of local people and police, he added.

Devotees have thronged the Matatirtha Kunda (pond) at Chandragiri Municipality-6 in Kathmandu to commemorate the Matatirtha Aunsi. They take a holy dip, pay homage and make offerings to their departed mothers. Matatirtha Aunsi or Mother's Day that falls on the new moon day in the month of Baisakh as per the lunar calendar is observed every year in honor of mothers. Devotees stay awake throughout the night the day before in memory of their mothers and take a holy bath the following day. According to a religious belief, one can see the face of their deceased mother reflected in the pond if they imagine their mother with a pious heart and deep devotion. People visit their mothers with sweets, clothes and gifts to make them happy, and receive blessings from them. Those who lost their mothers visit Matatirtha and pay homage to them. Arrangements have been made for visiting devotees, said Shanta Udas, Chairperson of the Matatirtha Conservation and Development Organization. On the occasion, over 500,000 devotees are expected to visit the pond, he said. Meanwhile on the Day, Chandragiri Municipality has announced a public holiday within the municipality today.  

The death toll from a fire at a Beijing hospital rose to 29, including 26 patients, authorities said Wednesday, and a dozen people had been detained including the hospital’s head and her deputy, Associated Press reported.

The fire broke out at the private Changfeng Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and forced dozens of people to evacuate. Some who were trapped had to escape from windows using bedsheets tied together.

A nurse, a medical assistant and a family member also died in the incident, said Li Zongrong, deputy head of Fengtai district.

The cause of the fire is under investigation but officials say they believe it originated from welding sparks from work being done in the hospital’s inpatient wing. Among the 12 people who were detained was the head of the construction crew, according to Associated Press.

A total of 39 people are being treated for injuries, three of them in critical condition, officials said. Rescue crews and medical staff from around the city were mobilized, with squads plucking some of the 142 people who were evacuated from air conditioning units on the building’s exterior.

Safety rules are frequently ignored in China, but accidents on the level of the Changfeng fire are treated with a much higher level of scrutiny. Construction accidents sometimes result from corners being cut on work hours and safety conditions, while local officials are bribed to ignore violations.