A shocking fire followed by explosions shook the town of Mariano Acosta this Wednesday morning, in the Buenos Aires district of Merlo.
The accident occurred in an illegal bottle depot located on Constituentes Avenue, between Bustillos and Colombres, and left at least four people injured, in addition to serious damage to the area.
The irregular situation of the place was known to the municipality led by the ultra-KirchneristGustavo Menéndez, without measures being taken to prevent it. The fire started around 6:30 and quickly led to a series of explosions that
generated panic among the neighbors. Seven fire crews worked on site to contain the flames and prevent the fire from spreading
. The explosion.
Reportedly, three adults suffered burns and remain hospitalized for clinical monitoring at the Municipal Hospital, while one minor will need surgery due to the seriousness of their injuries.
In the midst of the emergency, the owner of the place, Oscar Adrián Benítez, a 48-year-old Paraguayan immigrant, was arrested and will be investigated in the next few hours to determine his responsibility in the act.
The Kirchner municipality
However, beyond the impact of the accident, the episode revealed the lack of action on the part of the Kirchner municipality and that the explosion occurred in an unlicensed bottle warehouse in an urban area during school hours
.
As it turned out, carafes were stored irregularly in the place, something that was known to the municipal authorities without measures being taken to prevent it.
The magnitude of the fire caused significant material damage and affected an entire block, leaving several families homeless.
The explosion.
The mayor of Merlo, Gustavo Menéndez, an ultra Kirchnerist leader who has held office since 2015 and who was also vice-president of the Justicialist Party between 2019 and 2021, was at the center of criticism for not having acted before a property that operated without authorization, in
a high-risk activity.
The testimonies of the neighbors
The testimonies of the neighbors reflected the drama of the situation experienced during the early hours of the day. “I am locked in front of my premises, an electricity house, which is right in front of me. I cut off the power and I'm scared because everything vibrates,” said a neighbor identified as Francisco in statements to Todo Noticias (
TN).
The man also described the continuity of the detonations and the desperation of those in the immediate vicinity: “The explosions don't stop. My wife, my son and my grandson are next door, in the house. I told them to cut off the power, they're locked in.” In addition, he specified that the first explosion occurred between 6:30 and 7 in the morning
