Death toll from Chilean forest fires grows to 112

Locals clean the rubble of burnt-out houses. Pic/AP

Firefighters wrestled Sunday with massive forest fires that broke out in central Chile two days earlier, as officials extended curfews in cities most heavily affected by the blazes and said at least 112 people had been killed. The fires burned with the highest intensity around the city of Viña del Mar, where a famous botanical garden founded in 1931 was destroyed by the flames Sunday. At least 1,600 people were left without homes.

Several neighborhoods on the eastern edge of Vina del Mar were devoured by flames and smoke, trapping some people in their homes. Officials said 200 people were reported missing in Vina del Mar and the surrounding area. The city of 300,000 people is a popular beach resort and also hosts a well-known music festival during the southern hemisphere's summer. The death toll could rise as rescue workers search through homes that have collapsed. Some of those arriving in hospitals were also in critical condition.

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