Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A government investigation found that the centre's operators had broken a series of safety laws

The attorney general in Qatar is to launch an appeal against the acquittal of several people over a fire that left 19 dead, including 13 children.

Last month, the Court of Appeal overturned convictions of involuntary manslaughter over the 2012 fire in a shopping centre nursery in Doha.

Among those acquitted was Sheikh Ali bin Jassim al-Thani, Qatar's ambassador to Belgium, who co-owned the nursery.

A 2013 investigation had found that a series of safety laws had been broken.

The fire was caused by an electrical fault at the Gympanzee nursery in the capital Doha's Villaggio Mall in May 2012.

It killed 13 children - including triplets from New Zealand - four teachers and two firefighters. Many of the children suffocated as a result of the fire.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Thirteen children died in the blaze

Rescuers reportedly had to break through the roof to get to the children when a staircase collapsed, trapping them inside the building.

The nursery had no emergency fire exit, and a government investigation found that staff had failed to respond adequately when the fire broke out.

Mr Thani, his wife and three other people were sentenced in 2013 in relation to the blaze.

Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri is now seeking a review of the Court of Appeal ruling last month, which dismissed convictions against several defendants in the case, the Qatar news agency reported.