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CNN Sunday Morning

Fire Kills 77 in Lima, Peru

Aired December 30, 2001 - 08:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to news from overseas, a fire tragedy in Peru's capital. The fire swept through a crowded shopping center loaded with shops selling fireworks. At least 77 people were killed and more than 115 people were hurt. We get the latest now from CNN's Claudia Cisneros.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLAUDIA CISNEROS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The festive last Saturday of the year turned suddenly into chaos and tragedy. Fire quickly spread through a downtown Lima commercial area. People ran for their lives. Minutes before, the streets were packed with people celebrating, shopping for the holidays, buying fireworks, which are commonly sold there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I saw a firecracker exploded. It looks like someone wanted to try one out, and everything exploded. It was an important (ph) firecracker, and here you see everything is gone. And that's life.

CISNEROS: The fire covered some four blocks, destroying at least three buildings and dozens of homes. In the historical downtown Lima, designated world heritage by the United Nations, some of them are made of adobe, causing them to crumble in the fire. Narrow streets and common areas crowded with onlookers presented problems for the firefighters, as has the low water pressure in the old historical district.

Firefighters are afraid that they will find people may have died, trapped on rooftops and behind security bars. They also fear that some shop keepers that locked themselves when the fire broke out to prevent looting may have died.

President Alejandro Toledo has declared two days of mourning, while Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi had said the use or sale of fireworks should be banned.

Claudia Cisneros, CNN, Lima, Peru.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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