MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fatal blazes strike Punta Arenas and Valparaiso

Two devastating fires this weekend in Chile, one Punta Arenas and the other in Valparaiso have taken the lives of at least 13 people.

Tragedy struck the southern city of Punta Arenas early Saturday morning, when 10 tourists, including an entire family of Argentines, died inside a downtown youth hostel. At approximately 2:50 a.m. fire broke out in the Blue House II hostel. The blaze spread so rapidly that just 30 minutes later the two-story structure partially collapsed. Six people escaped from the building by jumping out of windows. The hostel's other guests, however, are believed to have suffocated. Four of the victims â€" Estebean Torales, Jorgelina Díaz (believed to be pregnant) and their sons Franco and Facudo â€" were visiting Punta Arenas from Argentina. Two German couples also died. Authorities identified them as Jennifer Kussel, Philippe Bayer, Peter Konig and María Katharina Konig. The other two victims have so far been identified only as a Canadian-Irish man and an Australian woman. "This is an absolutely regrettable tragedy," Governor Ana María Díaz told the press. "All of (Punta Arenas') citizens are very upset, especially as these were people who came here to visit and then had to suffer this horrible thing." Meantime in Valparaiso's historic Puerto neighbourhood, a gas leak caused a huge explosion Saturday morning. The blast was so severe it downed power lines and blew out windows in a three-block radius. The explosion also resulted in a massive fire that consumed three buildings along Serrano Street. Authorities have so far confirmed three deaths. There are fears that at least a dozen other people may be buried under what's left of the ruined structures. "It seemed like a war or a bombing. The ceiling began to cave in and then fall apart in pieces. And the floor went up in flames," Adolfo Ortega, one of dozens of people left homeless by the disaster, told the daily La Tercera. "An intense light, followed by smoke, glass and dirt came in through the window. It left us deaf. The window frame came flying over our bed, hit the bedroom door, and then both flew out into the hallway." Upon learning of the disaster, President Michelle Bachelet cut short her vacation in the south of the country and travelled immediately to Valparaíso. "I have two main concerns today," said Bachelet. "One is to find out if there were people there. We need to find them right away, and if they're injured, save their lives. Second, something that's also important, we must guarantee that no other buildings face a similar situation. That's what we're working on." At press time Sunday, authorities were able to identify only one of the three known victims of the blaze: Eliseo Angel Pavez León, approximately 50 years old. Residents say they'd been aware of a permeating gas smell for several days prior to Saturday's tragic explosion. However, the company Gasvalpo, which on the very morning of the blast sent officials to inspect the leak, is insisting that nobody officially reported the problem until that day. The Santiago Times - News about Chile