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276 Dead, 20 Missing As Peru Mourns Fireworks Blaze Victims
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| Rescuers
continue to pull bodies from the rubble of a building after a major fire
in Lima
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LIMA, Dec. 31 (News Agencies) - Peru was in a second day of official mourning Monday for the almost 300 victims of a mammoth blaze in a busy shopping area of the capital set off by fireworks.
With the toll at 276 dead and 20 missing, officials said they believed the final death toll for Saturday's blaze could top 300, as rescue workers continue to sift through the charred rubble, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"In many cases, it will be difficult to identify those dead because the bodies have been badly burned," said Admiral Juan Luis Podesta, chief of the country's civil defense institute, on Sunday.
Civil defense official, Jose Luis Bazan, said earlier that the process of removing the bodies was proceeding slowly, partly because some of the charred remains were trapped in burned-out cars.
Rescue workers were using an infrared video camera to search through the debris for additional bodies, officials said. The area has been declared an emergency zone.
According to witnesses, the fire began late Saturday in a store selling fireworks for New Year's celebrations, after vendors tested firecrackers for some clients.
The core of the disaster scene is an underground gallery of shops known as Mesa Redonda. The shopping center already was singled out as a hazard several weeks ago by code enforcement officials, who said the complex was a powder keg because of the large quantities of illicit fireworks sold there.
Fireworks are widely used for Christmas and New Year's celebrations in Peru. Lima officials said huge quantities of fireworks were stockpiled in downtown shops, as well as private attics and basements.
"The fire was due to the irresponsibility of the merchants, who failed to heed the warnings and recommendations of officials," said prosecutor, Maria del Pilar Peralta.
The blaze quickly spread through a four-block area of historic downtown Lima packed with vendors and customers, destroying several tall buildings, numerous private homes, and scores of automobiles.
Most of the victims were burned to death or died from smoke inhalation, according to officials, who said the tragedy was one of the deadliest ever to strike Peru's capital.
Authorities said many vendors were trapped by the rapidly-moving flames because they did not want to abandon their stores for fear of looters.
President Alejandro Toledo declared two days of national mourning for the blaze victims, starting on Sunday, and sent his condolences to their families.
The president visited the site of the fire Sunday, describing the incident as a tragedy, which must never be repeated.
He later announced that the government would use state funds to cover the personal losses of those killed in the fire.
Toledo added that officials were working on a more stringent law that would "prohibit the import and production of all types of fireworks materials in Peru."
According to Congressman Antero Flores Araoz, a law banning fireworks has been in place in the country since 1996, "but neither the local governments nor police have upheld that law – and, as a result, we had this terrible, regrettable accident."
Pope John Paul II sent a brief message of condolences to relatives of the victims, which was read by Peruvian Cardinal, Juan Luis Cipriani, at the entrance of one of the hospitals where the victims are being treated.
In Madrid, King Juan Carlos issued a statement on behalf of the Spanish government Monday expressing "deepest condolences" over the blaze.
Spain is "deeply moved by the tragic fire," and offered Peru "solidarity in this time of pain," according to a statement from the Spanish foreign ministry.
German President, Johannes Rau, sent his condolences to Toledo and the people of Peru, calling the fire "a catastrophe."
And in Mexico City on Sunday, Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez offered his condolences to the Peruvian people for the "extremely painful" incident and ordered a detailed review of areas of the Mexican capital where fireworks are sold, in the hope of preventing a similar tragedy from occurring there.
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