Several Dead After Explosion at Santiago-Area Industrial Park

At least four people were killed and several were injured after an explosion caused a three-alarm fire in the industrial Pudahuel sector of Santiago, Chile, on Monday afternoon, March 2, Mayor Felipe Guevara Stephens confirmed.

The explosion occurred just after 1 pm at the Bodegas San Francisco, located near the intersection of Puerto Madero and Puerto Santiago, local reports said.

Government spokeswoman Karla Rubilar warned that explosive elements may be within the fire’s reach. Santiago residents were encouraged to keep their windows closed and to not expose themselves to smoke until officials make a statement about potential toxicity.

Flights at the nearby Arturo Merino Benítez Airport (AMB) were unaffected, the airport said.

Aerial video filmed by the Carabineros de Chile — Chile’s national police force — shows smoke rising from multiple fires burning in the building. Credit: Carabineros de Chile via Storyful