Government of Chile assures that fire in Viña del Mar is under control

The fire that broke out three days ago in Viña del Maron the central coast of Chiliis controlled but not completely turned off, authorities reported on Sunday, after the fire destroyed hundreds of houses in the upper part of this city.

“The Viña del Mar fire is in a controlled situation and has left the red alert. That does not mean that it is totally extinct.”, said the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohawhen taking stock of the situation in that town, 120 km west of Santiago.

LOOK HERE: The tragic balance left by the fire in Viña del Mar: at least two dead and 130 houses destroyed

The official ruled out that there is a direct threat to residents in the affected area and its surroundings, which is why she changed the alert from red to yellow, but said that “there are still hot spots, there are still care measures, there are still teams working on site”.

A man looks at the rubble in his home from the fire in Cerro Forestal, in Viña del Mar, Chile, on December 23, 2022. (Photo by Adriana Thomasa / EFE)

On Sunday morning, the balance of the fire was two deaths, 67 injured (only one of medium severity) and 267 houses damaged, according to data from the government and the National Emergency Office (Onemi).

In addition, the fire devastated an area of ​​111 hectares, according to the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf).

“We are passing the first phase of emergency”, assured Sofía González, the presidential delegate of the Valparaíso region, where Viña del Mar is located.

In the affected urban areas, and where the fire was already out, efforts were concentrated on removing debris and delivering basic resources to the victims.

A forest fire affects the hills of Viña del Mar, where hundreds of houses are located, in the Valparaíso Region, Chile, on December 23, 2022. (Photo by JAVIER TORRES / AFP) (JAVIER TORRES /)

The incident, which began as a forest fire, began in the hills of Viña del Mar and advanced favored by strong gusts of wind through ravines until it reached the inhabited sectors, most of them low-income, with light construction homes. and narrow streets.

MORE INFORMATION: Chile declares a state of catastrophe due to a massive fire in Viña del Mar that burns hundreds of houses

The magnitude of the fire led President Gabriel Boric to declare a state of emergency due to catastrophe in the Valparaíso region. Boric toured some of the neighborhoods destroyed by fire on Friday and spoke with people who lost their homes.

On Sunday, Christmas Day, three ministers were still present in Viña del Mar and, among other measures, an operation had been launched to care for people with eye damage as a result of the fire.

Source: Elcomercio