MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Five dead, many injured in Buenos Aires building fire

A 52-year-old man is hospitalized in a critical condition and on ventilation support, Crescenti said

At least five people belonging to a Jewish family died Thursday and 35 others were injured during a fire in a Buenos Aires uptown apartment building, it was reported.

Fire brigades were able to prevent the fire from reaching adjacent structures, the authorities also said after a deployment which included 22 ambulances of the SAME first-responding medical services.

The fire broke out at 5.50 am for reasons still unknown on the seventh floor of the 14-story Ecuador 1026 building. At that time, most residents were still sleeping.

#23Jun #Argentina
Cinco personas murieron y alrededor de 30 personas fueron hospitalizadas esta madrugada por un incendio desatado en el séptimo piso de un edificio de Recoleta, Buenos Aires. Video cortesía. pic.twitter.com/y15H01TF2h - @TVVnoticias

— Reporte Ya (@ReporteYa) June 23, 2022

The five fatalities, three children and two women, used to live in the apartment where the fire started and belonged to the Jewish community, AMIA President Amos Linetzky confirmed.

“The five people were rescued alive and unconscious by City Firefighters,” SAME Deputy Chief Pablo Giardina explained. “They were handed over to the medical staff of SAME, but unfortunately they later arrived dead at the respective hospitals,” he added.

SAME Director Alberto Crescenti said “everything that could be done was done but it was impossible due to the amount of smoke inhaled.” He also noted one of the children had been burnt by the flames.

The firefighting operation lasted over 3 hours, SAME authorities also told reporters. By shortly after 9.30 am a total of 35 residents of the building had been evacuated and assisted, including a pregnant woman, who were taken to six different Buenos Aires hospitals.

Crescenti also admitted a 52-year-old man ferried by ambulance to the Rivadavia Hospital was in a “delicate condition” and on mechanical respiration support.

Three Buenos Aires City Police officers were also hospitalized as a precaution due to the amount of smoke inhaled.

Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta visited the site of the fire and expressed his “condolences to the family” of the deceased and seized the opportunity to once again praise first-responders and SAME for their “professionalism and commitment.”

Rodriguez Larreta and City Cabinet Chief Felipe Miguel arrived at 9.20 am at the doors of the building.

City authorities also explained that “the building had all the necessary documentation up to date,” meaning it had passed all security inspections.