A tragic fire broke out in a two-story house on Calle 9 between 156 and 157 in Berazategui, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on the evening of November 25, 2021. Around 11:30 PM, the fire started, swiftly spreading throughout the building. Prior to the building engulfed in flames, neighbors claimed to have heard explosions.

An eight-, ten-, thirteen-, and sixteen-year-old family with four children slept on the upper floor of the house. They were able to escape from their parents, who were in a bedroom at the back of the house. Unfortunately, the kids couldn’t escape in time and ended up stuck in the front bedroom. Firefighters later discovered the bodies of all four.

One of the first people to arrive was an uncle named Hugo. He believed there had been an intruder when he heard loud noises. Upon arriving, he discovered that the house was ablaze. To save the kids, he tried to break in with a rock, but an explosion threw him back and burned his back. He said the fire spread so fast that they probably didn’t have time to react, recalling hearing the kids yelling for help.

Despite being only ten blocks away, the local fire department reportedly took fifteen to twenty minutes to arrive. By that time, the house was totally destroyed by the fire. The children had already perished when firefighters arrived and managed to extinguish the fire.

According to preliminary inquiries, the fire might have been started by an electrical short circuit, perhaps from an electric fan or phone charger. The precise cause hasn’t been formally established, though. The local prosecutor’s office and the Berazategui volunteer fire department took up the case.

The tragedy left the community in deep sorrow. The fire’s intensity and rapidity astounded the locals. Many claimed to have heard explosions and children’s cries as the fire spread. The family and neighborhood suffered severe emotional effects, and the house was totally destroyed.