Pitrufquén nursing home fire kills 16 elderly residents

A devastating fire at the El Edén nursing home in Pitrufquén, La Araucanía, has resulted in the deaths of 16 elderly residents. The facility, located in Comuy, was operating without the required sanitary permits and had a history of regulatory issues, including previous fines and ongoing investigations regarding its operations.

Local authorities had previously filed a complaint in February concerning alleged mistreatment at the residence. Families of the victims expressed profound distress, noting that the facility had been moved to El Edén specifically to escape poor conditions at a previous residence. The fire was so intense that only blackened structures remained of the building.