Firefighters control blaze that destroyed Temuco shopping center

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TEMUCO.- Temuco Fire Departments have indicated that a fire, which was reported at 7:30 AM this morning at the Portal de La Araucanía shopping mall, has now been completely brought under control.

According to information received from the mall manager, Cristían Riquelme, all 114 shops within the commercial center were destroyed along with municipal offices belonging to the Puente program and a traffic-permit kiosk.

When questioned about the number of people economically affected by the blaze, Riquelme replied that the number may reach above 1,000 given the amount of vendors linked, either directly of indirectly, to the shopping center.

Firefighters have reported that a building and two homes adjacent to the mall were also affected by the fire.  Fire department laboratory technicians are currently on site working to determine the origin of the flames.

According to Fire Chief Enrique Bugmann, one of the volunteers was injured while working to control the fire.