Fire destroys 50 houses in Chilean city of Valparaíso

SANAA, Dec. 25 (YPA) – A huge fire broke out in a poor neighborhood of the coastal Chilean city of Valparaíso and destroyed dozens of homes on Tuesday and firefighters struggled to control the blaze, authorities said.

According to a Reuters witness, residents fled their homes amid Christmas Eve celebrations.

“The Valparaíso Fire Department has been fully deployed and has received support from nearby units,” the fire department said on Twitter.

About 50 houses were set on fire.” Two nearby suburbs have been evacuated, according to Reuters.

The fire service confirmed that the fire started in a forest area and then extended to the city.

High summer temperatures in the southern hemisphere and strong winds contributed to the fire.

Valparaíso is popular among tourists in the South American country. It is also famous for its brightly coloured wooden houses.

E.M