Big fire in Chile
Dozens of houses have been destroyed in fires in the Chilean coastal town of Vina del Mar, according to a preliminary government report. One fatality has been confirmed so far – there are also reports of another body being found. According to the government, the fire is still not under control. President Gabriel Boric issued a disaster alert for the affected area.
According to the online portal 24Horas, Interior Ministry State Secretary Manuel Monsalve also referred to the number of around 500 affected buildings previously mentioned by various institutions on Friday night (local time). After a more detailed assessment, around 130 houses destroyed by the fire are known in the part of the city that has been declared an emergency area.
One dead and 30 injured have also been confirmed so far. According to Monsalve, around 125 hectares of land have burned in the Valparaiso region so far and as previously announced by the National Emergency Service (ONEMI). According to the fire brigade, the flames were fanned by strong winds and spread within a few hours from a district on the hills to the densely populated town center. Several districts were evacuated.
Severe forest fires in Chile
In the Chilean coastal town of Vina del Mar, hundreds of emergency services are trying to get forest fires under control.
Around 800 emergency services are fighting the flames, the fire brigade said. The military is also deployed, Interior Minister Carolina Toha said at a press conference on Friday. “In these hours, the focus is on fighting the fire, getting it under control and preventing it from spreading.”
“We will not leave you alone”
Vina del Mar with its more than 330,000 inhabitants is a popular holiday resort and is best known for its International Song Festival, which roughly corresponds to the Eurovision Song Contest in Latin America. According to 24Horas, the flames are only about 100 meters away from the Quinta Vergara amphitheater and thus the venue of the International Festival of Vina del Mar. The festival site is not yet directly affected.
According to President Boric, all means necessary to fight the fires have now been released with the declaration of a disaster. “We won’t leave you alone,” as Boric announced on the short message service Twitter.
The fire is currently spreading in two places, Radio AND reported, citing information from the city’s mayor, Macarena Rippamonti. In two parts of the city, the population was asked to leave their homes as soon as possible. Several emergency shelters have been set up by the responsible authorities. According to Secretary of State Monsalve, the fire will be brought under control “during the day”.
