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THE DEATH TOLL in a horrific fire at a government-run children’s shelter has climbed to 40, after another girl succumbed to her injuries, officials in Guatemala have said.
The girls perished in a blaze on Wednesday at the co-ed Virgin of the Assumption Safe Home for children in San Jose Pinula, a village just east of the capital.
The fire broke out in the girls’ living quarters of the walled facility, killing 19 immediately. Others died hours or days later, after being gravely injured with serious burns.
All of the victims were girls aged 14 to 17, officials said.
The blaze was believed to have been set by girls protesting dire conditions they were subjected to at the shelter, including sexual abuse and other mistreatment by staff.
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Horrific
Awful tragedy.
Surrounded by trees and a 30ft wall, the Virgin of the Assumption Safe Home was built to hold 500 young residents, but at the time of the fire housed at least 800.
The residents were a mix of children in protective custody who had been victims of abuse as well as older youths with criminal records who had served their sentences but had nowhere else to go.
Many younger children fled the shelter because they were being abused by older residents.
Emmet, Was it run by nuns?
@Jimmyjoe Wallace:
No Jimmy, state run institution.
Nice try Jimmy joe
And we think we have it bad in Ireland. We don’t know we’re born.
have your say