Fire in Lima kills 10 people, Peru civil defense says

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.

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, including five minors.

Arriola said an investigation was underway to determine where the fire began, the circumstances around it and its cause.

Peruvian media have reported that extortionists who had been threatening local businesses started the fire. The reported cause has not been established in the source, and authorities said the investigation was ongoing.