It is estimated that there are approximately 400 people affected. There are 15 injured and no deaths have been reported.
Taken from Clarín Mundo
A devastating fire raged for several hours yesterday in the city of Iquique, Chile, burning at least 100 homes and leaving nearly 400 people homeless, most of whom have been evacuated. No deaths were reported, but 15 people suffered burn injuries.
The fire broke out in the Laguna Verde camp after midday and, due to its rapid spread, reached dozens of houses built with wood that were located in the area 1,800 kilometers north of Santiago, the Chilean capital.
The area has such narrow passageways that fire trucks couldn't enter . For this reason, firefighters had to enter on foot, carrying hoses, to try to control the flames .
Álvaro Hormazábal, director of the National Emergency Office of the Ministry of the Interior (ONEMI) of Tarapacá, said that because of the fire "there is no water and the nearest tap is about 200 meters away.".
The large number of people who suffered damage is due to the fact that it is a space where the homes are very close to each other, so in a few meters there can be "five, 10 or 15 families".
Mayor Mauricio Soria stated: "Many people who have come to the city of Iquique, to this part, and many foreigners reside here, so we don't have their documentation either," he said.
He also stated that the Municipality is already preparing shelters for 200 to 300 people because the exact number of victims is unknown.
The Iquique Fire Chief, Jorge Medina, stated: “The risk of the fire spreading no longer exists at the site, and we have managed to reach the area with adequate water flows,” he said.
In addition, he stated that six volunteers from the institution were injured by heat stress, while another 15 people suffered burns and cuts from various objects.
On the other hand, he ruled out that there are any missing persons so far.
