Guatemala’s president called for a restructuring of his country’s youth shelter system following a fire that killed at least 35 girls at an overcrowded government facility for children, while grieving families began receiving the bodies of their loved ones. The shelter outside Guatemala City held some 800 children and mixed victims of abuse with youthful offenders.
Category: Izabal, Guatemala
At least 31 girls killed in fire at Guatemala shelter
The death toll in a fire at a troubled youth shelter in Guatemala rose to 31 Thursday as a dozen more girls died at hospitals overnight and details began to emerge of a tragedy sparked by angry, neglected youths seeking to flee terrible conditions. Nineteen girls were found burned to death or dead of smoke inhalation in the rubble of a dormitory fire fueled by foam mattresses Wednesday.