A fire swept through a home in Peru's capital, killing ten members of a single family, including five young children. The blaze broke out at around 3am on Wednesday (July 22) in the La Victoria district of Lima.
Victims and Escape
Peruvian National Police Commander General Oscar Arriola said the dead included children aged three, six, six, eight and 15, as well as adults aged 29, 35, 42 and 72. Seventeen people were inside the property when the fire erupted, but only seven managed to escape, Infobae reported. The victims' bodies were described as 'burned beyond recognition'.
Suspected Arson
Police are examining whether the fire was started deliberately after neighbours claimed unknown individuals had set electric motorcycles alight outside the building. Residents stated the family also possessed electric motorcycles and had purportedly been subjected to threats and extortion demands for roughly a month preceding the inferno.
The flames are believed to have spread rapidly after igniting highly flammable materials used by the family in their mattress-making business, making escape almost impossible, according to Peru's Andina news agency.
Investigation
The Peruvian National Police's Fire Investigation Department is collaborating with forensic specialists to determine where the blaze originated, its spread pattern and its cause. The alleged arson allegations remain subject to ongoing examination by police and prosecutors. Family members indicated that CCTV footage from a residence across the street might assist investigators in establishing the fire's origin and whether it was deliberately started.
The location stays sealed off while forensic specialists carry on scrutinising the scene to confirm the victims' identities and ascertain what sparked the inferno. Peru's National Police released a statement declaring: 'Today, all of Peru falls silent in the face of a tragedy that plunges our nation into mourning.'
