Corregidora, Qro. Two older adults died this Saturday afternoon inside a nursing home located in the municipality of Corregidora, in the state of Querétaro, due to a fire caused by a gas leak due to a human error committed by two people at the time of handling a cylinder full of gas.
Three more older adults were transferred to the ISSSTE hospital in Corregidora and to hospitals one and two of the Mexican Social Security Institute located in the same municipality to be assessed for various injuries.
The fire broke out around 12 noon at the Luz Al Ocaso Residence for the Elderly, located at number 179 of the Cuauhtémoc extension, located on the border of the Santa Bárbara neighborhood with El Pueblito.
The asylum, belonging to the private sector, was partially burned.
Omar Lugo, director of Civil Protection of the municipality of Corregidora reported that two people were inside the building manipulating a gas tank, which caused the leak and the fire.
Neighbors of the Santa Bárbara neighborhood who live in the vicinity of the asylum reported to the emergency number 911 having heard a loud explosion inside the place.
In this regard, Omar Lugo said that as a result of the fire two elderly people who were in their rooms died.
The two responsible for the gas leak tried to escape but were captured by the municipal police and turned over to the Public Ministry.
It has not been reported if they were employees of any gas distribution company or from the asylum itself.
Firefighters and Civil Protection elements of Corregidora, using water tankers, extinguished the fire and carried out cooling tasks in the shelter facilities.
Omar Lugo explained that at the time the fire broke out there were 52 people, 35 of whom were residents, that is, sheltered older adults.
He added that Civil Protection personnel and paramedics carry out medical assessments on the people who still remain in the asylum to determine whether or not they are also sent to a clinic or hospital.
Source: La Jornada
