A massive fire tore through Pamplona Alta in San Juan de Miraflores, initially mistaken for a routine electrical flare-up. Strong winds spread flames from house to house, devouring plywood walls and plastic roofs. Families ran through narrow paths, grabbing children and whatever they could carry, as smoke and chaos filled the hillside.
The blaze worsened when it reached a clandestine fireworks workshop, triggering explosions that sent debris raining down and fueled the fire’s rapid spread. Firefighters battled the inferno for hours before finally gaining control, but the destruction was widespread. Early estimates suggest over 300 homes were damaged or destroyed.
Residents salvaged what little they could—clothes, pots, family photos—while relief teams provided water, food, and blankets. Though the fire left devastation in its wake, the community’s solidarity shone through, with neighbors helping one another, volunteers distributing aid, and families clinging together amid loss.
Amid the ashes, grief and resilience coexist, and rebuilding has already begun.