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Rehab Centre Fire Death Toll Avoidable
31 January 2012
At least 27 patients died in a fire at a rehab centre in Lima when they were trapped inside locked rooms.
According to fire fighters, the death toll following a fire at a two-storey drug rehabilitation centre in Lima, Peru was worsened because doors were locked, trapping patients inside. Firefighters broke through walls to rescue residents locked inside. Some residents leapt from windows to escape as flames swept through the building, although local reports say many of the windows were barred. At least 27 people were killed and a further ten were injured. Most of the victims died of smoke inhalation.
Local media reported that the centre was not authorised, and authorities said they did not know how many people were inside the centre at the time of the fire. Firefighters and prosecutors have opened investigations into the cause of the fire.