SANTIAGO – Over 245 homes were destroyed and around 700 people were left destitute after a forest fire tore through an area of this Chilean seaside city on Christmas Eve.
President Sebastian Pinera on Thursday said there was evidence the fire had been started deliberately.
The fire broke out in a forested area on the outskirts of the city and spread toward the coast.
Chile´s forestry commission said the fire was fully brought under control at midday on Thursday. A total of 132 hectares of vegetation were destroyed, it added.
Valparaiso, known for its colorful wood-frame houses, is popular among tourists in the South American country.(Reuters)
