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| Guatemala children's home blaze kills 19 teenage girls | Guatemala children's home blaze kills 19 teenage girls |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Nineteen teenage girls have died in a blaze at a children's care home in Guatemala, officials say. | Nineteen teenage girls have died in a blaze at a children's care home in Guatemala, officials say. |
| About 25 other people were injured in the fire at the Virgen de Asuncion shelter in San Jose Pinula, about 25km (15 miles) south-east of the capital, Guatemala City. | About 25 other people were injured in the fire at the Virgen de Asuncion shelter in San Jose Pinula, about 25km (15 miles) south-east of the capital, Guatemala City. |
| Police said the blaze may have been started by some of the residents. | Police said the blaze may have been started by some of the residents. |
| On Tuesday, police officers intervened after a riot broke out at the home. About 60 children escaped. | On Tuesday, police officers intervened after a riot broke out at the home. About 60 children escaped. |
| Some alleged they had been mistreated or sexually abused. | Some alleged they had been mistreated or sexually abused. |
| 'Over-capacity' | 'Over-capacity' |
| Oscar Franco, a spokesman for the volunteer firefighters, told local media: "At least 25 people were injured and transferred to hospitals and we have confirmed 19 bodies." | Oscar Franco, a spokesman for the volunteer firefighters, told local media: "At least 25 people were injured and transferred to hospitals and we have confirmed 19 bodies." |
| The fire ripped through the facility in minutes. | The fire ripped through the facility in minutes. |
| Nery Ramos, the head of Guatemala's national police, said the fire was started by a group of young people at the shelter. | Nery Ramos, the head of Guatemala's national police, said the fire was started by a group of young people at the shelter. |
| Firefighters battled to contain the flames as desperate family members arrived at the scene to try to find their loved ones. | Firefighters battled to contain the flames as desperate family members arrived at the scene to try to find their loved ones. |
| After the blaze, images showed burned bodies covered by blankets lying in one of the blackened rooms. | After the blaze, images showed burned bodies covered by blankets lying in one of the blackened rooms. |
| The children who fled on the eve of the fire said it was due to poor conditions and mistreatment following the riot, which left the facility damaged. | The children who fled on the eve of the fire said it was due to poor conditions and mistreatment following the riot, which left the facility damaged. |
| The UN children's fund in Guatemala said on Twitter it "condemns the tragedy", adding: "These children and adolescents must be protected". | |
| Local reports say the capacity of the home is 400, but that many more children were living there at the time. | Local reports say the capacity of the home is 400, but that many more children were living there at the time. |
| The shelter takes in children up to the age of 18 who have suffered abuse or trafficking, or have been abandoned. | The shelter takes in children up to the age of 18 who have suffered abuse or trafficking, or have been abandoned. |
| But local media say the shelter was also functioning as a juvenile detention centre, to which judges were sending adolescents involved in criminal cases. | But local media say the shelter was also functioning as a juvenile detention centre, to which judges were sending adolescents involved in criminal cases. |
| A deadly fire at a children's home in Mexico in 2009 left 49 dead. | A deadly fire at a children's home in Mexico in 2009 left 49 dead. |