A massive blaze consumed three factories in Lima’s northern district of Comas on Christmas morning.
Authorities say a firework started the fire in a paint factory which spread to two adjacent buildings including a plastics plant and a hose factory.
The firework was detonated just after midnight last Friday, Christmas morning, and the fire blazed for hours before a team of more than 100 firefighters were able to bring it under control around 6 a.m. At least one firefighter was injured in containing the fire.
The fire in Comas was one of almost 60 fires throughout metropolitan Lima on Christmas, most of which came just after midnight when residents detonate fireworks to celebrate.
“Five of the fires were large,” Mario Casaretto, chief of the Lima fire department, told Peru 21. “One on Dominicos avenue in Callao, another in San Juan de Lurigancho’s Zarate [neighborhood], two in La Victoria and the most serious one affected a textile factory in El Agustino.”
Casaretto added that the fires began around 11:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve and continued until 5 a.m. on Christmas morning. Most were caused by negligent use of fireworks.
The dozens of fires in Lima made up a small part of over 500 fires registered throughout Peru on Dec. 24 and 25.
Sources
Bomberos atendieron más de 500 emergencias entre el 24 y 25 de diciembre [Fotos] (Peru 21)
Navidad: bomberos atendieron más de 500 emergencias en 48 horas (El Comercio)
Comas: fuerte incendio en tres fábricas fue confinado [VIDEO] (El Comercio)
Incendio destruyó tres fábricas en Comas | VIDEO (La Republica)