Cajamarca explosion and fire leave three dead and two critically injured

A father and his one-year-old son are fighting for their lives at Las Mercedes Hospital in Chiclayo after an explosion and fire destroyed their home in the Palo Blanco hamlet, located in the San Juan de Licupis district of Cajamarca.

The tragedy occurred on the night of Sunday, August 16, when five family members were inside the residence. According to reports, a nine-year-old girl used a candle due to a lack of electricity, which subsequently ignited gas canisters being sold at the property. The resulting explosion and fire caused the deaths of three family members: Victoria Vidarte Dávila, Yuly Bravo Vidarte, and a minor identified as D. T. B.

Jorge Valladolid Tineo managed to rescue his son from a room as the fire spread, but both sustained severe third-degree burns. Family members are currently requesting that the survivors be transferred to Lima to receive specialized medical treatment for their critical injuries.