A devastating fire has claimed the lives of 10 members of the same family, including five children, at a home in Peru's capital, Lima. The blaze erupted in the southern La Victoria district early Wednesday morning.
According to General Oscar Arriola of the Peruvian National Police, the victims included five children aged between three and 15, four adults aged between 29 and 72, and a fifth adult whose age was not specified. Two individuals sustained injuries in the incident.
Police are examining the possibility that the fire was deliberately set. Local media reports indicate the family, involved in the manufacturing of mattresses and electric motorcycles, had previously received threats and extortion demands. Neighbors reported that unknown individuals set fire to motorcycles parked outside the residence, with the flames quickly spreading to flammable mattress-making materials.
Seventeen family members were inside the building when the fire began around 3:00 AM local time. Seven individuals managed to escape the inferno. The victims' bodies were reportedly burned beyond recognition.
The National Police of Peru issued a statement expressing national mourning over the tragedy, stating, "Today, all of Peru falls silent in the face of a tragedy that plunges our nation into mourning."