A raging fire in La Plata destroyed an appliance warehouse. Families were evacuated, and no one was injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A large fire destroyed a warehouse in downtown La Plata. Evacuations were ordered, vehicles burned, and the building partially collapsed. More than 140 firefighters were involved. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
.png)
The fire forced the evacuation of dozens of families amid stormy weather. (AG Agency)
A massive fire ravaged a building in downtown La Plata that served as an appliance warehouse early Thursday morning. The blaze erupted around 6:30 a.m., and after more than four hours of fighting, the fire was finally contained. Despite the magnitude of the fire, no injuries were reported.
The building, located at the intersection of Diagonal 77 and Calle 48, began burning in the early hours of the morning. Neighbors alerted the firefighters, who arrived with three crews to fight the flames. The situation became even more complicated when parts of the structure began to collapse.
Due to the risk of collapse, dozens of nearby homes were evacuated. Some schools also took preventive measures. The storm that was hitting the city at the time further complicated the operation.
.png)
The spread was rapid, according to Civil Defense (AG Agency).
Diego Pepe, La Plata's security secretary, reported that the fire started in a building where electrical appliances were stored. According to his account, the blaze was so intense that it caused the building's facade to collapse. The fire also caused power outages in several blocks, and several parked cars in the area were burned.
In images captured this morning, refrigerators and washing machines could be seen falling from the upper floors of the affected building. Fabián García, director of civil defense for the province, confirmed that the main objective was to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings, as the smoke and flames threatened to reach other buildings.
"The structure is severely compromised and continues to collapse," explained García, adding that it was impossible to enter the building to work from the inside. The risk of explosions from gas-powered appliances and the collapse of concrete blocks forced firefighters to work from the outside.
.png)
Firefighters were unable to enter the warehouse to combat the flames (AG La Plata)
According to García, the rapid spread of the fire caused the warehouse to be completely consumed in a short time. Although it was a large-scale blaze, he assured that the situation is under control and there is no immediate danger to residents, although extreme caution is required.
Javier Alonso, head of security for the province of Buenos Aires, indicated that 148 firefighters participated in the operation. In addition to the firefighters who fought the blaze, emergency services, urban control, and police were mobilized to coordinate evacuations and traffic closures. In total, at least six blocks were closed.
The official explained that more than 50 families were evacuated. Many of them took temporary shelter in relatives' homes. Throughout the day, as engineers conduct a structural assessment of the surrounding buildings, they could return to their homes.
The minister also warned that, although the fire has been brought under control, further flare-ups could occur if oxygen enters the area. Therefore, work is now underway to cool the dividing wall adjacent to the warehouse, located on 48th Street, and to maintain safety in the area.
Meanwhile, an expert report is awaited to determine whether the site was authorized to operate as a warehouse. The building, which served as a gas station for more than a decade, was later converted into a parking lot and, finally, into an electronics warehouse.
Local media reported that flammable items were found on the upper floors of the building, releasing toxic gases and black smoke when they caught fire. The incident occurred just a few blocks from important educational centers such as the National College and several faculties of the National University of La Plata.
The La Plata community woke up to the shock of a tragedy that, fortunately, left no victims. However, the material damage is considerable, and the operation will continue over the next few hours to ensure there are no new outbreaks or further collapses.
