During the morning of today, at exactly 9:41 a.m. a fire caused in an acetylene oxygen balloon factory was registered in the 18 blocks of Grau Avenue, in the district of El Agustino. According to the investigations, the incident would have been caused by the explosion of two gas containers. According to the controllers of the Municipality of that district, the premises did not have the permission to store the gas balloons. Two company workers were injured, one of them the owner, and they were quickly transferred to the nearest hospital and are already stable.
According to information from the General Fire Department, 40 police units and 15 firefighters went to the area to control the incident in addition to brigades and ambulances of the SAMU. Unfortunately, two firefighters had to be helped and removed from the site because they inhaled large amounts of gas and smoke and presented symptoms of intoxication. Likewise, one of the examiners suffered low back pain and one of the journalists who was reported the incident had to be taken to the Dos de Mayo Hospital as an emergency. The Emergency Health Care Service (SAMU), Ministry of Health (Minsa), has reported that the level of smoke toxicity is «very high» and that circulation through the affected area is avoided.
Because the warehouse is located in a residential area and very close to the subway station, all neighboring neighbors have also had to be evacuated and SAMU medical staff provided masks. Police officers also collaborated by surrounding the area to prevent citizens from entering the affected area. In addition, firefighters chose to remove the pieces of wood from the other houses in order to prevent the fire from expanding. The auditors have decided to permanently close the company to prevent future risks.