At least 46 people have died in a fire in the Valparaiso region, although the government has warned that the number of victims will rise.

The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, announced this Saturday from the O’Higgins Room of the Palacio de la Moneda that at least 46 people have already died in the severe forest fire that has devastated the central-southern region of the country, so it It has become one of the deadliest in recent history. The president said of the fire, which mainly affected the Valparaíso region and especially cities such as Viña del Mar, “I have confirmation that 40 people died during the fire and six additional people Admitted to hospital due to burns.” And Quilpué… Boric assured in his message that “the number of victims will increase in the coming hours.” The government reported 19 deaths in the morning, concentrated in Villa Independência in the Achupalas sector in Viña del Mar.

The President said that this tragedy may have happened voluntarily. “The ultimate intent behind these fires is being investigated and, although it is difficult to imagine who could be willing to cause so much tragedy and pain, know that its full extent and all necessary resources “Will be investigated with.” chairman. Armed forces and Carabineros monitor the affected areas.

According to Valparaíso’s regional prosecutor, Claudia Perivancich, in statements to CNN Chile, there are “initial indications” of intentional acts, “which is related to detecting multiple sources of simultaneous fire, and that is a powerful signal.” He said the Environmental Crime Brigade of the Police Investigation (PDI) is investigating the incidents, for which they have analyzed four fire incidents in the area, collected evidence and located the spot.

On Friday, the president ordered a state of emergency in Valparaíso and Marga Marga provinces due to the disaster, allowing his government to make “all necessary resources available” to respond to the emergency and help families. He has directed the Defense Ministry to deploy more military units in the affected areas and called on the population to follow the instructions of the concerned authorities so that rescue and fire extinguishing operations are not hampered. As announced hours earlier, the government has imposed a curfew from 9:00 pm on Saturday to 10:00 am on Sunday in the same four municipalities as the previous day: Limache, Quilpué, Villa Alemana and Viña del Mar. . Necessary to guarantee public order and the safety of our compatriots. We will use all constitutional instruments available to guarantee security and peace,” said the President, who flew over the disaster areas in the afternoon.

In terms of looting, Boric said the curfew would help clear the way for emergency vehicles, facilitate evacuations and, incidentally, “help ensure that no one is loitering in areas where the decision to evacuate has been made.” Has gone.” This has already been reported in municipalities such as Quilpué. Threats of robberies make it difficult for residents of burned areas to leave their homes.

Public and private health networks have been coordinated to care for the injured, said Boric, who expressed his condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the fatal victims. He sent a “big hug” to those who lost their homes and thanked “deeply those who are doing their best to deal with this tragedy,” especially firefighters, brigades of the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf). members, carabineros, personnel of the armed forces. forces, health workers, municipal workers and public officials, “in addition to civil society who always faces these types of tragedies.”

According to the balance sheet this Saturday morning, the fire, which affects the central-southern region of Chile, has burned at least 43,000 hectares of land across the country. In the Valparaiso area, Boric said, there are four large active fires: in Viña del Mar in the Las Tablas sector, which started in Peñuelas; in Quilpue-Villa Alemana; In Quilota and in Kuruma sector. However, according to brigade members, it is in Viña del Mar, where it has gone out of control. Patricio Brito, the fire commander of this city, has assured that the emergency this Saturday has become “very complex”. “At the moment we have chaos,” he admitted, later expressing that the units available are not enough to control the flames. Additional forces have come from other areas, but they are not enough, he said. “We have many burned houses and factories,” he said in reference to the explosions at the Tricolor paint factory in the industrial area of ​​Viña del Mar, which, like many tragedy photos, circulated on social networks.

Boric announced that this Sunday he would be on the field and his Finance Minister, Mario Marcel, would inform the public about the resources deployed in the face of a “really very difficult situation”. “The fire is growing very quickly and the weather conditions both yesterday and today have made fighting the fire more complex: high temperatures, strong winds, with gusts averaging 30 kilometers per hour and up to 60 kilometers per hour. , and, in addition, low humidity,” the President said.

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