Fire at nursing home in Chile kills 16 residents — SkimNews
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- At least 16 elderly residents died in a fire at the El Edén nursing home in Pitrufquén, Chile, about 640km south of Santiago, on Friday evening.
- Ten other residents were evacuated after the blaze broke out around 22:30 local time; the fire was finally extinguished Saturday morning.
- Prosecutor Jorge Granada, leading the case, said the cause of the fire was not yet clear.
- President José Antonio Kast ordered a review into the condition of nursing homes across Chile, pledging full collaboration with the justice system to identify any failures in oversight or prevention.
- Firefighters were still clearing debris and removing collapsed corrugated metal roofing on Saturday while police cordoned off the area.
- Local mayor Jacqueline Romero expressed sorrow and said authorities were providing support to the victims' families.
Why it matters: The deaths of 16 elderly residents in a single Chilean nursing home fire have prompted the president to order a nationwide review of care facility oversight — raising the immediate question of whether systemic failures in prevention or monitoring existed, since the cause remains undetermined.
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