Ecuador rehab blaze: At least 17 die as patients 'start fire to escape clinic'

Ecuador rehab blaze: At least 17 die as patients 'start fire to escape clinic'

Police are hoping to question the facility's operators. Pic: Fiscalia Ecuador/Twitter

At least 17 people have died and 12 others have been injured in a fire at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Ecuador, authorities have said.

Officials said the blaze took hold after patients set mattresses on fire in a bid to escape the facility in Guayaquil - the country's biggest city.

Police chief Tania Varela said the centre lacked the necessary permits required to operate. Makeshift treatment facilities are common in the South American nation.

In a statement, the Guayaquil fire department said: "We regret the loss of 17 human lives in this tragedy, and we reject the negligence of the owners."

Officers are hoping to question the owners and operators of the rehabilitation facility.

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A tweet translated from Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno read: "My fraternal embrace and endearing solidarity with the relatives of the victims of the fatal fire in Guayaquil.

"Those responsible have already been detained. We will not allow the death of innocents to remain in impunity. The government is with you!"

Domenica Tabacchi, the vice mayor of Guayaquil, expressed her solidarity with the families affected.

In a translated tweet, she wrote: "I deeply regret the tragedy that occurred today in the suburb of Guayaquil.

"My solidarity and support for the relatives of the victims killed in the fire."</s>At least 17 people have died and 12 others have been injured in a fire at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Ecuador, authorities have said.

Officials said the blaze took hold after patients set mattresses on fire in a bid to escape the facility in Guayaquil - the country's biggest city.

Police chief Tania Varela said the centre lacked the necessary permits required to operate. Makeshift treatment facilities are common in the South American nation.

In a statement, the Guayaquil fire department said: "We regret the loss of 17 human lives in this tragedy, and we reject the negligence of the owners."

Officers are hoping to question the owners and operators of the rehabilitation facility.</s>At least 17 people died and 12 others were injured in a fire on Friday at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, authorities said.

The fire started when patients set mattresses ablaze to try to escape from the clinic, which lacked the necessary permits, according to Tania Varela, the chief of police in the poor area of the city where the incident took place.

Such makeshift treatment centres are common in the Andean country.

“We regret the loss of 17 human lives in this tragedy, and we reject the negligence of the owners,” the Guayaquil fire department said in a statement.

Police are seeking the arrest of the owners and operators of the clinic.</s>QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador’s president has vowed that the deaths of 17 people this past week at a drug rehabilitation clinic that was set ablaze by patients trying to escape would not go unpunished.

At least 12 others were injured in the fire on Friday after patients set fire to mattresses in an attempt to flee the clinic in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city.

“My fraternal embrace and endearing solidarity with the relatives of the victims of the fatal fire in Guayaquil,” President Lenín Moreno posted on Twitter on Friday. “ We will not allow the death of innocents to remain unpunished.”

The clinic did not have the required permits, according to Tania Varela, the chief of police in the area of the city where the fire broke out. Such makeshift treatment centers are common in the Andean country.

The Guayaquil Fire Department said there was evidence of negligence at the clinic, and the police were seeking the owners and operators of the clinic.

“We regret the loss of 17 human lives in this tragedy, and we reject the negligence of the owners,” the Fire Department said in a statement.

Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner said the government would “review the rules” governing the operation of such rehabilitation clinics.</s>At least 18 people have died in a fire at a rehab clinic in Ecuador, according to reports.

A further 12 have been injured in the blaze at a drug rehabilitation centre, authorities have said.

It started when patients set mattresses alight in a bid to try and escape, according to Tania Varela, the chief of police in the area.

Seventeen people were found dead in the building, while another person died in hospital, according to Radio Santafe.

Initial reports in Ecuador claim the people who died were locked inside a room.

It happened in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, authorities said.

Ecuador's President, Lenin Moreno, wrote on Twitter: "Those responsible have already been arrested. We will not allow the death of innocents to remain unpunished."

In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the Guayaquil fire department said in a statement: “We regret the loss of 17 human lives in this tragedy, and we reject the negligence of the owners."

Province governor Raúl Ledesma said there were between 30 and 40 people inside the building when the fire broke out.

One survivor claimed people got out by breaking down the wall.

Vice President Otto Sonnenholzer said a review of operating conditions for clinics would be carried out as a result of the tragedy.

Several patients were taken to hospital with burns.</s>At least 17 people have died and 12 others have been injured in a fire at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Ecuador, authorities have said. Officials said the blaze took hold after patients set mattresses on fire in a bid to escape the facility in Guayaquil - the country's biggest city. Police chief Tania Varela said the centre lacked the necessary permits required to operate. Makeshift treatment facilities are common in the South American nation.</s>Eitheen people have killed in a fire at a rehabilitation clinic in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil, the daily El Universo reported.

Seventeen of the victims died on Friday at the scene, while and 18th died after being taken to hospital, according to the report. A dozen other people sustained injuries.

The "New Life" clinic housing alcoholics and drug addicts is located in a suburb of the city of some 2 million people.

The victims suffocated to death, according to the report.

More than 60 firefighters were sent to combat the blaze.
At least 17 are killed and 12 others are injured in a fire at a drug rehabilitation clinic in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Officials said the blaze took hold after patients set mattresses on fire in a bid to escape the facility.