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New Year Fires Sweep Lima and Piura, Leaving One Dead and Dozens Homeless

Municipal risk managers attribute a surge of incidents to indiscriminate fireworks use.

Overview

  • Lima recorded about 77 fires on January 1, with disaster risk chief Mario Caseretto saying many were caused by pyrotechnics and some by overheated electrical networks.
  • In San Juan de Lurigancho, 47-year-old Francisco Javier Rojas Cruz died after a fire reportedly started by a pyrotechnic entered his home, with relatives noting his disability hindered evacuation.
  • The victim’s family appealed for financial help to cover funeral expenses and to rebuild their destroyed home, as neighbors provided temporary shelter.
  • In La Victoria, a mother reported her multifamily home burned after someone threw a large firework through a window while the family slept.
  • In Piura, flames in Catacaos destroyed five houses and displaced 17 people with no injuries reported, and a separate fire in San Sebastián gutted the Ramos More family’s belongings as they now seek community support.