A fierce fire affected 150 warehouses in Huechuraba on Sunday, near Mall Plaza Norte, which was fully evacuated. Firefighters from various communes battled the flames to prevent spread to nearby structures. No serious injuries were reported, though explosions and complications arose from unknown contents in the warehouses.
The fire started around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 28, in the facilities of Aki KB company, located at the intersection of Los Libertadores and Américo Vespucio avenues, a high-traffic area near commercial sites in Huechuraba commune, Metropolitan Region.
Due to the fire's intensity and high combustible load in the warehouses, the Fire Department declared a third alarm, mobilizing additional resources. About 300 volunteers from fire departments in communes such as Huechuraba, La Granja, Conchalí, Til Til, Ñuñoa, Puente Alto, and Quilicura participated.
Efforts focused on containing the flames and preventing spread to Mall Plaza Norte and nearby facilities, including banks, Enel offices, an institute, and pharmacies. Commander Gonzalo Morales of the Conchalí-Huechuraba Fire Department stated: “These are warehouses that are basically burning completely, located next to the offices in Mall Plaza Norte. We are preventing spread to the banks, Enel, an institute, and pharmacies, but we have at least controlled the propagation”.
Morales added that “we have had quite a few complications because we don't know what's really inside the warehouses, and several explosions have occurred in the sector.” The fire has been circumscribed, though it also reached the facilities of the Rosen mattress company.
As an emergency measure, traffic was restricted at the affected intersection, causing diversions and congestion. Authorities urged drivers to use alternative routes and exercise caution. No people were injured, except for one firefighter with heat stress who was treated on site.
This incident occurs amid a red alert for extreme heat in the Metropolitan Region, with forecasted temperatures up to 36°C from Monday, increasing fire risks. The causes of the fire will be investigated once the emergency is fully controlled.
