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A fire that killed 19 girls at a home for abused teens in Guatemala started when some residents set mattresses ablaze, after an overnight riot and attempt to escape from the overcrowded government-run centre, police suspect.
Key Points:
- Police suspect arson to blame
- 40 people being treated for burns
- Overcrowding common in Guatemalan government-run shelters
A crowd of grieving relatives gathered outside the Virgen de Asuncion home for children aged up to 18 years old, in the semi-rural suburb of San Jose Pinula, 25 kilometres south-west of the capital, Guatemala City.
The head of Guatemala's national police, Nery Ramos said at the scene 19 girls were confirmed dead.
Local hospitals reported at least 40 others were being treated for burns.
Mr Ramos said the blaze likely started when a group of young people set fire to sleeping mats.
"This is a painful situation."
The home takes in abandoned children, as well as victims of abuse and trafficking.
Mr Ramos said a group of residents were isolated by authorities at the centre after an escape attempt on Tuesday night, and that police were investigating if the two events were connected.
Pictures published on Twitter showed burnt bodies partially covered in blankets strewn across the floor of a blackened room in the home.
On Tuesday night, riot police were sent in to quell unrest over the crowded living conditions at the home.
Nery Ramos said about 40 residents escaped but were recaptured and isolated.
Group homes often overcrowded
Plagued by Latin America's highest rates of child malnutrition and street gangs which often prey on minors, Guatemala can be a traumatic place to grow up.
Conditions in public institutions are often dismal with widespread overcrowding.
The Virgen de Asuncion home had previously suffered from overcrowding, with Guatemalan media reporting more than 500 people were crammed into the centre designed to house 400.
Distraught relatives said abuse was common at the centre, which is run by the Ministry for Social Welfare.
The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but was due to hold a news conference.
Domestic worker Alicia Lopez had been outside the home for hours trying to find out what happened to her autistic 12 year-old son who entered the centre with a drug addiction.
She said he had been raped there last week.
"I still don't have information … I want justice for him," Ms Lopez said at the home.
Andrea Palolo told reporters in tears she had brought her 15-year-old son to the home to discipline him.
But she said he told her he was mistreated and complained gang members there tattooed the children.
Guatemala's ombudsman for human rights decides whether children are placed in the home or not and some parents praised the centre.
Businesswoman Cristina Pac said her adopted teenage daughter was placed there for being rebellious, aggressive and stealing things.
"When I came to see her, everything seemed fine," she said.
"She never complained about anything."
Reuters
Topics: disasters-and-accidents, fires, community-and-society, guatemala
First posted