Araucania: At least 16 elderly people died and ten others injured in a nursing home fire in the Araucania region, 640 kilometers south of the capital Santiago, Chilean authorities announced.

According to Qatar News Agency, firefighting teams have managed to keep the blaze under control, while debris removal operations continued, and police established a security cordon around the site.

The cause of the fire remains unclear; authorities have launched an investigation to determine its source and origin, and to rule out any criminal activity.

Health authorities reported that the nursing home had a history of operational violations, having been subject to administrative measures and fines since 2019. Chile's President Jos© Antonio Kast said he had ordered a review into the condition of nursing homes across the country.