March 07, 2025 - 3:59 AM
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A fire that started on Monday in an old neighborhood of the Peruvian capital, Lima, was still out of control and caused the collapse of four buildings, firefighters said Thursday.
There were no casualties from the blaze in Barrios Altos but two other buildings were at risk of collapsing due to the weakness of their structures, Eduardo Celis, a divisional commander in Lima's fire brigade, told The Associated Press. The fire could remain active until at least Sunday, he added.
More than 50 tankers and 400 firefighters have been working to extinguish the blaze since Monday.
Authorities still do not know the cause of the fire, but according to the local government, it started in an eight-story building that was used as a warehouse for various products sold on the streets of another old part of Lima, Mesa Redonda.
Most of the streets in Lima’s historic center are full of street vendors and shops that require warehouse space nearby so that they can restock at short notice.
Lima authorities said the warehouse where the fire started was unlicensed and had been shut down three times. The other four collapsed buildings also functioned as warehouses.
On Dec. 29, 2001, a fire killed 277 people in the Peruvian capital.
News from © The Associated Press, 2025