![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
You are in: World: Americas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() |
![]() |
Monday, 31 December, 2001, 21:37 GMT
Peru fire toll 'could top 300'
![]() Many victims were trapped in their cars
A Peruvian public safety official has said that a blaze sparked by fireworks in the capital, Lima, may have killed
over 300 people.
Rescuers are still picking through the charred rubble of the shopping centre to recover more bodies but work has been slow because some were trapped in cars caught in the fire and there are fears of structural collapse.
The Peruvian President, Alejandro Toledo, declared national mourning and said he planned to ban the production and sale of fireworks. He also promised financial assistance to those affected by the fire. "This is the worst tragedy I have ever had to experience," he said. Disaster scene The area in Lima's historic old town had been packed with people ahead of the New Year celebrations when the blaze began on Saturday evening. Witnesses said that the fire started when a shopkeeper lit a firework as a demonstration for an interested customer on a narrow street outside the shopping centre.
Several hundred fire-fighters eventually brought the blaze under control. Their efforts were initially hampered by a shortage of water and crowds of onlookers. They said temperatures could have risen as high as 600C. Health Minister Luis Solari said some bodies would never even be found because of the high temperatures.
Fears that damaged buildings might collapse have hampered emergency workers, who are using infra-red cameras to locate bodies, officials said. Lima city fire chief Tulio Nicolini described the fire as the worst he had seen in his 40-year career.
Sorrow Pope John Paul II has offered his condolences to Peru, whose population is about 90% Roman Catholic.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair was among foreign leaders who also sent condolences. "This was a terrible tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of the deceased and injured," Mr Blair said. According to Chief Nicolini, shopkeepers hampered the rescue effort by locking their premises to prevent looting. Fireworks are popular in Peru during Christmas and New Year celebrations, and are sold on streets throughout the capital during the season.
|
![]() |
See also:
![]() Internet links:
![]() The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Americas stories now:
![]() ![]() Links to more Americas stories are at the foot of the page.
![]() |
![]() |
Links to more Americas stories
|
![]() |
![]() |
^^ Back to top News Front Page | World | UK | UK Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | Health | Education | Entertainment | Talking Point | In Depth | AudioVideo ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To BBC Sport>> | To BBC Weather>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |