Three people died Friday and another five were injured in a house fire in the east Lima district of Ate, according to the fire department.
The three-story house was being used to store fireworks and make firework display “castles”, which meant that gunpowder and other flammable materials were scattered throughout the building.
Alberto Marticorena, the fire chief for central Lima, said seven water trucks were needed to put out the fire and ensure it did not spread to neighboring buildings.
Two large fires were also reported in Callao over Christmas — at a fire on Av. Contralmirante Mora, two firefighters were injured and six families have suffered major damage to their homes.
On Christmas Day in Sullana, on the north desert coast of Piura, 298 families lost their homes in a shanty town fire that firefighters found difficult to put out because of the lack of water in the area.
President takes aid to Iquitos fire victims
Last week, President Humala travelled to Iquitos to the waterfront area of Belen, where 137 families lost their homes and possessions in a fire that spread quickly and took several hours to bring under control.
President Humala took toys, bedding and basic tools to the town and assigned S/.130 million for reconstruction work —with the local and regional governments— which includes basic housing and, for the first time, water and sewage installations as well as paved roads and sidewalks.
