A raging fire leaped from hilltop to hilltop in Valparaiso, Chile
throughout the night and day on Sunday, killing at least 11 people and
destroying at least 1,000 homes. More than 10,000 people were evacuated,
including more than 200 female inmates at a prison.
And with hot dry winds stoking the embers, some of the fires broke
out again and were burning out of control as a second night fell.
The blaze began Saturday afternoon in a forested ravine next to
ramshackle housing on one of the city's 42 hilltops, and spread quickly
as hot ash rained down over wooden houses and narrow streets that lack
municipal water systems. Electricity failed as the fire grew, with
towering, sparking flames turning the night sky orange over a darkening,
destroyed horizon.
Eventually, neighbourhoods on six hilltops were reduced to ashes,
including one hill just several blocks from Chile's parliament building.
And flames broke out again on at least two of those hills, burning out
of control and threatening to consume other neighbourhoods.
"It's a tremendous tragedy. This could be the worst fire in the city's
history," President Michelle Bachelet said as firefighters contained
most of the blazes, mobilizing 20 helicopters and planes to drop water
on hotspots.
Source: AP, CBC
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