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Trump International Hotel & Tower fire: Blaze breaks out at US President's luxury New York property

Cause of blaze under investigation but fire department says not 'suspicious'

Lizzie Dearden
Friday 03 March 2017 12:04 GMT
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The New York Fire Department is not treating the blaze as suspicious
The New York Fire Department is not treating the blaze as suspicious (AFP/Getty Images)

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Officials are investigating the cause of a fire that started at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York.

The blaze started on the 47th floor of the building, which overlooks Central Park, in the early hours of Friday morning.

The fire brigade was called at around 4.30am local time (9.30am GMT) and the fire was extinguished at around 5.20am (10.20am GMT), local television reported.

The Fire Department of New York is investigating the cause of the blaze but have not found any indication it was "suspicious".

A protester attempted to set himself on fire outside one of Mr Trump's hotels in Washington in January.

“I was trying to light myself on fire as an act of protest,” the man said, before being taken for medical treatment. “ Protesting the fact that we've elected someone who is completely incapable of respecting the Constitution of the United States.”

The President is distancing himself from his hotel and real estate empire to avoid potential conflicts of interest that raised have raised concern among opponents.

He and his daughter Ivanka have resigned all roles with the Trump Organisation, which is being run by the President's two eldest sons.

But his continued refusal to disclose his tax returns, defying decades of precedent, has fuelled calls for the Senate Finance Committee to launch a formal review.

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