Peru fire kills 10 family members; police investigate extortion link
A fire in Lima, Peru, has killed 10 members of the same family, including five children, according to police. The blaze occurred in the La Victoria district in the early hours of Wednesday.
General Oscar Arriola of the Peruvian National Police told local media that the victims included five children aged between three and 15, and five adults aged 29 to 72. Two other individuals were injured. Seventeen family members were inside the building when the fire started around 3 a.m. local time; seven managed to escape.
Police are investigating reports that the fire was deliberately set. According to the government news agency Andina, neighbours reported that unknown individuals set fire to motorcycles parked outside the home. The flames then spread rapidly through flammable materials used in mattress manufacturing, which the family produced. Local media also reported that the family had received threats and demands for extortion payments.
The police statement said: 'Today, all of Peru falls silent in the face of a tragedy that plunges our nation into mourning.' The victims' bodies were burned beyond recognition, Arriola said.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the fire and the alleged extortion threats.
