In brief
A fire broke out on Friday night at the El Edén nursing home in Pitrufquén, Chile, killing 16 elderly residents and forcing the evacuation of ten others. Authorities are still investigating the cause, while President José Antonio Kast has ordered a thorough review of nursing home oversight nationwide. Firefighters battled the blaze until Saturday morning, clearing debris and removing collapsed roofs under a police cordon. The tragedy has sparked calls for stricter safety protocols and accountability for caregivers, as officials promise to uncover shortcomings that may have contributed to the disaster.
At least 16 elderly residents have died in a fire at a nursing home in Chile, according to authorities.
Incident Details
Ten other residents were evacuated after the blaze broke out at El Edén home in Pitrufquén, roughly 640 km south of Santiago, on Friday evening. The fire began at about 22:30 local time (01:30 GMT) and was not fully extinguished until Saturday morning. Firefighters were still clearing debris and removing collapsed corrugated metal roofing on Saturday, with police cordoning off the area for safety.
Official Reaction
Jorge Granada, the prosecutor leading the case, said it was not clear at this stage what caused the incident. President José Antonio Kast has ordered a review into the condition of nursing homes across the country. “We will fully collaborate with the justice system to clarify what happened, determine where failures may have existed in oversight or prevention, identify what alerts were raised and what actions were taken in response to them,” he said. He added, “We need to know the truth and, based on that, correct whatever is necessary to do everything possible to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.”
Local mayor Jacqueline Romero expressed sorrow: “It is a situation that fills our souls with great sorrow and pain. We have been providing support to the families.”
