This Tuesday, military sources reported that at least 280 people, including 94 children, were affected by a raging fire that destroyed 60 homes in raided neighborhoods in the Colombian city of Armenia, capital of the Quindío department in the coffee region.
The army said in a statement: “So far, according to local authorities, 84 families, including 94 children and 184 adults and the elderly, have been affected by the blaze.”
The flames devastated homes in the Santander and Villa Juliana neighborhoods between Monday night and Tuesday morning, prompting the army to dispatch 80 men to deal with the emergency.
The military has established a safety ring to allow firefighters, civil defense and the Red Cross to provide appropriate attention to this emergency while also assisting in the evacuation of families to safe areas.
#At this time/ Volunteers and officials of @DefenseCivilCo cut #QuindioConduct a damage and needs assessment following the building fire in the Villa Juliana neighborhood of the Municipality of Armenia, in coordination with the National Army, Fire Brigade and Red Cross pic.twitter.com/xuKXJ04h4q
— DefenseCivilColombia (@DefensaCivilCo) August 29, 2023
So far, authorities have reported no deaths or fatalities from the fire, which reduced the houses, which were mostly built of wood and other easily combustible elements, to rubble.
The information added that soldiers from the civil protection platoon of Combat Engineer Battalion No. 8 “Francisco Javier Cisneros” arrived at the scene to “carry out control and containment work so that the sources of the fire are completely extinguished and the fire is prevented” that the conflagration does not continue; also recover the belongings of the affected families.
According to the army, the causes of which are unknown, “84 families have been affected, including 94 children and more than 180 adults and the elderly, who are being helped by the various authorities of Armenia”.