Lima fire kills 10 as police examine possible deliberate cause

A fire in a low-income neighbourhood of Lima killed 10 people, destroyed two homes and injured two others, Peru's INDECI civil defense institute reported Wednesday.

Relatives said five of those who died were adults and five were children. Police chief Oscar Arriola said nine members of one family were among the dead, five of them minors.

Arriola said an investigation was under way to establish where the fire began, the circumstances around it and its causes. Peruvian media reported that extortionists who had been threatening local businesses started the fire. Colonel John Lujan, who is leading the investigation, said investigators were examining possible causes including a deliberate act or extortion.

Survivor Gina Vilchez told reporters she escaped with her children. She said there were 17 people in the dwelling, with 10 killed and seven saved. Other family members showed media photos and video of efforts to rescue people trapped by the flames.

Peru's president-elect Keiko Fujimori visited the ruins Wednesday and called the deaths "a terrible massacre." She told reporters that people were asking for order and security and said that would be a priority next week.