The Minister of the Interior ChileanCarolina Tohá, confirmed this Friday that a second person had died in the massive fire that affects Viña del Mar, a coastal city located 122 kilometers from Santiago.
“What we know is that we have a second deceased person already certified,” said the Secretary of State, according to a report from efe. The incident has affected some 400 homes, for which the Government declared a state of emergency.
?[AHORA] Minister of the Interior @Carolina_Toha together with the ministers @GiorgioJackson Y @tvalenzuelavtlead the meeting of the Technical Board for #fire in #Viña del Mar to continue with coordinated work at active points and delivery of aid to affected people ? https://t.co/eJmuqXR3k0
– Ministry of the Interior Chile (@min_interior) December 23, 2022
“We want to call on all people who have a history or concerns in this matter to do so through the corresponding agencies: the Prosecutor’s Office, the Carabineros (militarized Police) and the PDI (Investigation Police),” said Tohá.
He also called to “avoid rumors or news that do not go through these channels, because that generates concerns or concern in the population.”
During the early hours of the morning, the country’s president, Gabriel Boric, who confirmed his transfer to the coastal city this Friday, instructed to decree a state of catastrophe to deal with the emergency.
Until now, the National Emergency Office (Onemi) of the Ministry of the Interior has ordered the evacuation of multiple risk areas in the hills of Viña del Mar, a city that is home to some of the largest informal housing camps in the country in the affected area.
According to estimates by the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf), at least 110 hectares have been consumed by the flames.
“The fire started in a sector called Nueva Esperanza 2000; it crossed and reached these two parcels and it goes down to the north, in the direction of Quinta Vergara through a deep ravine,” explained the mayoress of Viña del Mar, Macarena Ripamonti, quoted by AFP.
?EMERGENCY? At this time, all of our Companies, with the support of CB of the Valparaiso Region, continue to work to control the fire declared in the upper sector of Viña del Mar.
?? WE REITERATE THE CALL OF THE COMMANDER, PATRICIO BRITO: DO NOT GO TO THE PLACE OF THE EMERGENCY ? pic.twitter.com/wO3KxSmgO7
– ViñadelMar Firefighters (@bomberosvina) December 23, 2022
The fire was encouraged by wind gusts of between 40 and 50 kilometers per hour that complicated the work of forest brigade members and firefighters.
150 forest brigade members and 400 firefighters were working in the fight against the incident, almost all from companies in the Valparaíso region and some who came from the Santiago Metropolitan region.
With information from Efe and AFP.
