A fire at El Edén nursing home in Pitrufquén, located approximately 640 kilometers south of Santiago, resulted in the deaths of at least 16 elderly residents. Ten additional residents were evacuated from the facility after the blaze broke out on Friday evening.
The fire ignited around 22:30 and was extinguished the following morning. On Saturday, firefighting crews continued clearing debris and removing collapsed corrugated metal roofing from the site, with police maintaining a security perimeter around the area.
Prosecutor Jorge Granada, who is leading the investigation, stated that the cause of the fire remains unclear at the current stage of the inquiry. Chile’s President José Antonio Kast announced he had ordered a comprehensive review of nursing home conditions throughout the country in response to the incident.
Kast indicated the government would cooperate fully with the justice system to investigate what occurred, identify any gaps in oversight or prevention measures, and examine what safety alerts may have been issued and what actions were taken in response. The president emphasized the need to establish the facts and implement necessary corrections to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Local mayor Jacqueline Romero described the situation as deeply sorrowful and stated that support was being provided to the affected families.
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