2017 Guatemala orphanage fire

The 2017 Guatemala orphanage fire occurred on 8 March 2017, at the Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home in San José Pinula, Guatemala. Forty-one girls, aged between 14 and 17 years old, were killed when a fire broke out at the orphanage. The girls had been locked in a schoolroom following protests, riots and an escape attempt which occurred the day before. In the aftermath of the fire, three government officials—including the country's Secretary of Social Welfare—were arrested and charged with crimes such as wrongful death and negligence.

2017 Guatemala orphanage fire
Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home after the fire
Date8 March 2017 (2017-03-08)
Time9:00 am Central Standard Time
VenueVirgen de la Asunción Safe Home
LocationSan José Pinula, Guatemala
Coordinates14.5764°N 90.4978°W / 14.5764; -90.4978
Deaths41

Background

Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home is a state-run children's home located in San Jose Pinula, about 25 kilometres (16 mi) away from the capital Guatemala City. The institution was built in 2010 and accommodates abandoned or orphaned children, as well as children with disabilities, drug addictions, or who are pregnant.[1] Some have been institutionalized by the state after being abused by family members, forced into prostitution, or being homeless.[2][3] Although the home does not house criminals, it does take in minors with legal histories who have completed their sentences, but have no relatives to take care of them.[3]

The home has a capacity of around 350 to 500 youths, but was housing 700 to 800 at the time of the fire.[2][3] Children were separated into different areas of the building based on age and gender.

Reports of abuse

Virgen de la Asunción has a long history of abuse allegations. In 2014, a contractor hired by the home was convicted of raping a mentally disabled 17-year-old girl.[4] Two teachers have been arrested on charges of sexual assault.[5]

Guatemala's Human Rights Ombudsman's Office (PDH for its initials in Spanish) received 45 reports of abuse between 2012 and 2016. On 2 November 2016, the PDH requested the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to issue precautionary measures, citing evidence of mistreatment by staff and of a human trafficking network which recruited children from the home.[6]

Incident

7 March

On 7 March, rioting broke out at the safe home, followed by a mass escape. The day began with protests against abuse, rape, and overcrowding.[7] According to the Social Welfare Secretariat, the riot started at 2:00 pm when a group of adolescents climbed on to the roof and threatened guards and staff with metal objects. During the confusion, about 85 residents escaped and fled into the surrounding woods. Most were captured by police and returned to the home.[8]

At around 10:00 pm, an officer of Guatemala's National Civil Police called president Jimmy Morales to inform him of the situation.[9]

Upon returning to the home, the adolescents were not immediately allowed to enter the building. President Morales had directed the staff to keep the escapees separate because they had broken the law and represented a risk to the other residents.[10] At 1:00 am, the escapees were let back into the building. The boys were returned to their dormitories, while the girls were sent to a schoolroom.[3]

8 March

Fifty-one girls were confined to a schoolroom of 4 by 4 metres (13 ft × 13 ft).[8] They were provided with mattresses, but not blankets. The National Police guarded the room over the night.[3]

In the morning, the girls were not allowed to leave to use the bathroom. At around 9:00 am, a fire broke out in the schoolroom. The cause of the fire is undetermined, but witnesses claim the fire was set by adolescents in an act of protest. Two survivors recounted hearing girls shouting that they were going to "sacrifice so that everyone would know what they were living in there." (quote translated from Spanish) [8] Police who were guarding the room did not allow the girls to escape.[3]

Nineteen girls died on the scene. Victims were transferred to hospitals in Guatemala City and the Shriners Hospital for Children in Texas.[8][11] In total, 41 girls were killed by the fire.[2] All were between the ages of 14 and 17.

Aftermath
Exterior of the building after the fire, cordoned off by crime scene tape

Human rights advocates condemned various officials—including president Morales, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Social Welfare—for failing to address the complaints about abuse of all kinds at the orphanage. A spokesman for the president instead placed blame on the court system.[12]

Several members of the Congress of Guatemala called for the dismissal of Carlos Rodas, the Secretary of Social Welfare.[9] Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor began a criminal investigation of the events, collecting evidence including video from surveillance cameras at the home.[13]

On 11 March, hundreds of people protested in Guatemala City against the perceived negligence, corruption and ineptitude of the Guatemalan government.[14] Protestors walked through the streets of the city reading the names and ages of the girls who died. Chants included "it was the state," and "it wasn't an accident, it was an execution."[15]

On the same day as the protests, Rodas resigned as Secretary of Social Welfare. President Morales announced he would "remove the line of command" at the safe home, and the Deputy Secretary of Social Welfare and the director of the home were both dismissed shortly after the fire.

Arrests

On 13 March, Guatemalan authorities announced the arrests of former secretary Carlos Rodas, former deputy secretary Anahí Keller, and former director of the safe home Santos Torres. Criminal charges against them included wrongful death, mistreatment of minors, and negligence. In June, two police officers, were also charged for crimes related to the fire.[16]

  • Saria (2019), a short film that depicts the tragedy, was nominated for an Oscar in 2020.[17][18]

See also

References
  1. "IACHR Issues Precautionary Measures to Guatemala and Laments Deaths in Fire at Children's Residential Institution" (Press release). Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  2. Reynolds, Louisa (18 April 2017). "Why did 41 girls die at a Guatemalan youth shelter?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  3. Goldman, Francisco (19 March 2017). "The Story Behind the Fire That Killed Forty Teen-Age Girls in a Guatemalan Children's Home". The New Yorker. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. López Vicente, José David (24 October 2016). "El refugio del que los niños huyen". Plaza Pública (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  5. "Hogar Seguro: Una persona condenada y dos ligadas a proceso penal". Ministerio Público (in Spanish). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  6. Boche; García (10 March 2017). "PDH documentó 45 abusos en Hogar Seguro". elPeriódico (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  7. Ixchíu Hernández, Andrea (9 March 2017). "Incendio en Hogar Seguro, una masacre cometida contra 31 niñas". Prensa Comunitaria (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  8. Boche; Ríos, R.; Espina, C. (9 March 2017). "Los gritos que muchos oyeron pero nadie atendió". elPeriódico (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  9. Ayala, Joseline (9 March 2017). "Presidente fue alertado sobre intento de fuga en Hogar Seguro". La Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  10. "Hogar Seguro: Niñas estaban bajo llave, confirma Jimmy Morales". Prensa Libre (in Spanish). 10 March 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  11. "Guatemalan children's shelter fire: death toll rises to 40 as demonstrations erupt". The Guardian. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  12. "Señalan negligencia de funcionarios por no accionar ante denuncias". La Hora (in Spanish). 9 March 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  13. Boche, Evelyn (10 March 2017). "Ministerio Público investiga femicidio en Hogar Seguro". elPeriódico (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  14. Juárez, Tulio (11 March 2017). "Repudio generalizado en la Plaza Mayor "contra la muerte indigna y la injusticia permanente"". elPeriódico (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  15. "Sube a 39 número de niñas fallecidas por incendio en Guatemala". La Nación. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  16. "Five charged over Guatemala shelter fire". BBC News. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  17. "Saria (2019)". IMDb. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  18. "Saria: Short Film (Live Action)". oscar.go.com. Retrieved 9 February 2020.

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