- Title: Massive blaze destroys store as protests rage in Chile
- Date: 22nd October 2019
- Summary: CONCEPCION, CHILE (OCTOBER 21, 2019) (REUTERS) MASSIVE BLAZE AT SODIMAC HOME IMPROVEMENT STORE FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING BLAZE PEOPLE LOOKING ON FIREFIGHTERS / BLAZE SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCTOBER 21, 2019) (REUTERS) LARGE CROWD OF PROTESTERS HEADING TO PLAZA ITALIA FOR DEMONSTRATION VARIOUS, TOP VIEW OF CROWDS PROTESTING IN PLAZA ITALIA PROTESTERS JUMPING VARIOUS, TOP VIEW OF WATER CANNONS DISPERSING CROWDS TOP VIEW OF CROWDS DISPERSING, RUNNING PAST WAFTING TEAR GAS VARIOUS, TOP VIEW OF WATER CANNONS AND PROTESTERS VARIOUS, TOP VIEW OF CROWDS AND TEAR GAS TOP VIEW OF LARGE CROWD OF PROTESTERS
- Embargoed: 5th November 2019 01:48
- Keywords: store fire water cannon violence blaze students protests Chile firefighters Sodimac Concepcion Santiago
- Location: CONCEPCION & SANTIAGO, CHILE
- City: CONCEPCION & SANTIAGO, CHILE
- Country: Chile
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Fires,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001B26HIYV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A massive blaze consumed a home improvement store in the south-central Chilean city of Concepcion as violent protests continued to wrack the capital of Santiago on Monday (October 21).
Firefighters could be seen battling the flames well into the evening as local people watched.
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters came out into the streets of Santiago and clashed with police in Plaza Italia with water cannons and tear gas used by authorities to disperse the crowds.
The recent crisis in what is normally one of Latin America's most stable countries was sparked by protests over a hike in public transport fares but reflects simmering anger over intense economic inequality in Chile, as well as costly health, education and pension systems seen by many as inadequate.
Several Chilean cities have been placed in a state of emergency, with control handed to the armed forces after looting, arson attacks and violent clashes began on Friday (October 18).
(Production: Jose Luis Saavedra, Jorge Vega, Patrick Alwine) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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