2009 Hermosillo daycare center fire
Encyclopedia
The ABC Day Care center fire in Hermosillo
, Sonora
, Mexico
, took place on Friday, June 5, 2009. 29 bodies were pulled from the blaze and thirty died that day. Since then, the death toll has risen as more children have died from their injuries. In all, 44 toddlers and infants have been reported killed as a result of the blaze. Another five have not survived their injuries raising the death toll now to 49. Over 40 infants and toddlers have been hospitalised with burns, and six adults.
An inspection of the daycare was conducted on May 26, and the center passed requirements. The warehouse had windows, however they were mounted too high, and did not provide an access to the daycare centre for rescue operations. The six employees and 142 children were also within the ratio of caregiver to child in the center as well.
Over 142 children were being cared for at the time of the blaze according to Sonora Governor
Eduardo Bours
, "There were 142 children in the nursery, 35 have died, and another 41 are hospitalized."
On Sunday, Sonora state Health Minister Raymundo López Vucovich said, "In the past few hours three more have died. Twelve of the 22 hospitalized children are in a dangerous condition."
It was reported that the fire began in a tire warehouse next door and then spread to the child care centre. Further investigations revealed that the real source of the fire was on another warehouse, operated by the state government. Just a few minutes after, the fire caused the collapse of a roof section which fell over the children, infants and employees below. One of the first men on the scene reported that all children were unconscious or dead, and there were no children crying.
Firefighters took two hours to contain the blaze which started at 3 pm (2200 GMT
).
"They told me that this happened in a matter of five minutes," said Hermosillo Mayor Ernesto Gándara.
"According to what our people saw, there was an explosion followed immediately by flames," said Daniel Karam, the director of the Mexican Social Security Institute
(IMSS). "We began to smell smoke and the alarm went off. But it was explosive and there was no chance to get more children out," said María Adriana Gasca Sandoval, a daycare aide.
, Jalisco
. One boy cannot be moved for further treatment as he has been declared brain dead. Even though 15 medical specialists were specially flown in for treatment some children are being moved to the state of Jalisco which has doctors who specialize in children's burns. Two children were taken to a Shriner's burn hospital in Sacramento
, California
, USA
, for treatment "A lot of it is how deep the burn is and where it's located and how bad is the smoke inhalation," said Dr. Tina Palmieri, assistant chief of burns for the hospital, who reported that there is a 50 per cent chance of survival for one of the three year old girls who sustained burns to over 80 per cent of her body. This girl is accompanied by one parent, her father, and arrived in California by Mexican military transport. Her mother, working in the day care, rushed through the flames to pull her and other children out of the fire and was taken to a Ciudad Obregón
hospital.
A young boy arrived later in Sacramento for care who will be receiving several operations for skin graft surgery beginning on Sunday June 7 said Dr. David Greenhalgh, chief of burns at the Sacramento hospital. Both of these patients are being watched for infection and are in critical condition, but able to communicate. They cannot talk because they are being treated with breathing tubes
.
The burns on some of the children are so bad authorities are having problems identifying the burn victims.
Javier Alexis Pacheco, aged two was rushed to the hospital for treatment for burn injuries.
Four year old Hermán Vásquez with burns on 75 per cent of his body was rushed to Chávez Hospital. However his family did not find out where he was until 6 p.m. that evening.
"Unfortunately, fifteen of them are in danger of losing their lives over the next few hours," said López on Saturday.
Two-year-old María Magdalena Millán was buried Saturday, her parents attaching a Dora the Explorer balloon to the cross marking her grave, while her mother cried out "I love you and I don't want to leave you here!"
Germán León battled his injuries, but died Saturday morning, just days after his fourth birthday.
The family of 2-year-old Daniel Alberto Goyzueta Cabanillas, who died of smoke inhalation, held a funeral late Saturday afternoon.
The family of 2-year-old Camila Fuentes Cervera also held her funeral Saturday.
. The pope offered his condolences, "together with spiritual closeness, concern, and wishes for a speedy and total recovery of those injured in the lamentable incident....With these sentiments, the Supreme Pontiff, in these moments of sadness, imparts from the heart the comfort of an apostolic blessing, as a sign of comfort and hope in the Risen Lord."
“I want to express in the name of the federal government, of all Mexicans and of me personally, our condolences to the mothers and fathers for this tragic accident,” said President Calderón.
Neighbours conducted a candlelight vigil the morning of June 7 at the University of Sonora in Hermosillo.
Felipe Calderón
has placed federal attorney general Eduardo Medina-Mora in charge of the investigation as to the cause of the fire. The President visited the scene and was said to be "enormously saddened". "This has been a painful tragedy for all Mexicans. I have ordered the federal prosecutor to as soon as possible carry out investigations to help us know exactly what and how it happened, and to work out corresponding responsibility," said Calderón.
The cause of the fire has been determined to be a malfunctioning air conditioning unit in the neighbouring warehouse. The warehouse was not equipped with fire extinguishers, nor smoke alarms. "The fire was caused by the overheating of an air conditioner due to continuous and prolonged use," said Attorney-General Eduardo Medina Mora. The air conditioner melted its aluminum housing and spread to license plates and paper work in the state government warehouse. The warehouse was closed and empty when the fire started.
However, there has been recently discovered that the fire was started intentionally in the warehouse next to the daycare center. (http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Nacional/08062010/451538.aspx)
The child care fire alarms did not alert staff to the fire as they were installed below a brightly coloured tarpaulin. It is believed that smoke filled the area between the warehouse's high roof and the false ceiling created by the tarp. When the tarp cauught fire smoke and flames collapsed onto the slumbering daycare infants and instantly filled the daycare with thick smoke. In 2005 the day care centre owner were advised to remove the tarp, widen the main entrance, and increase auxiliary fire exits and bring them up to fire regulation size. Subsequent safety inspections passed without the work being carried out, and contracts awarded for the continued operation of the centre.
Seven state northern Sonora state finance department officials were arrested in connection with the fire for negligent homicide, with a total of fourteen under investigation. "They are employees and officials with the Finance Department who have a direct responsibility for the warehouse where the fire started."
The state Finance Department will file for negligence against the day care owners and the Social Security Institute will initiate a civil lawsuit. The highest official in the Social Security Institute resigned, and others have been suspended.
Hermosillo
Hermosillo is a city and municipality located centrally in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is the capital and main economic center for the state and region. It contains almost all of the state's manufacturing and has thirty percent of its population...
, Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, took place on Friday, June 5, 2009. 29 bodies were pulled from the blaze and thirty died that day. Since then, the death toll has risen as more children have died from their injuries. In all, 44 toddlers and infants have been reported killed as a result of the blaze. Another five have not survived their injuries raising the death toll now to 49. Over 40 infants and toddlers have been hospitalised with burns, and six adults.
Fire
A fire department officer, unofficially reported that the converted warehouse building had only one exit. A desperate citizen, Francisco Manuel Lopez Villaescusa drove his Silverado truck through the walls to gain entrance and knocked three holes into the building. One mother claimed a second exit was locked and the key could not be found.An inspection of the daycare was conducted on May 26, and the center passed requirements. The warehouse had windows, however they were mounted too high, and did not provide an access to the daycare centre for rescue operations. The six employees and 142 children were also within the ratio of caregiver to child in the center as well.
Over 142 children were being cared for at the time of the blaze according to Sonora Governor
Governor of Sonora
List of governors of Sonora since 1917:*2009–2015 Guillermo Padrés Elías*2003–2009 Eduardo Bours Castelo*1997–2003 Armando López Nogales*1991–1997 Manlio Fabio Beltrones Rivera*1991–1991 Mario Morúa Johnson...
Eduardo Bours
Eduardo Bours
José Eduardo Robinson Bours Castelo is a Mexican businessman who served as Governor of Sonora under the Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI. He is a member of the illustrious Robinson Bours family which immigrated from the United States in the 19th century...
, "There were 142 children in the nursery, 35 have died, and another 41 are hospitalized."
On Sunday, Sonora state Health Minister Raymundo López Vucovich said, "In the past few hours three more have died. Twelve of the 22 hospitalized children are in a dangerous condition."
It was reported that the fire began in a tire warehouse next door and then spread to the child care centre. Further investigations revealed that the real source of the fire was on another warehouse, operated by the state government. Just a few minutes after, the fire caused the collapse of a roof section which fell over the children, infants and employees below. One of the first men on the scene reported that all children were unconscious or dead, and there were no children crying.
Firefighters took two hours to contain the blaze which started at 3 pm (2200 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
).
"They told me that this happened in a matter of five minutes," said Hermosillo Mayor Ernesto Gándara.
"According to what our people saw, there was an explosion followed immediately by flames," said Daniel Karam, the director of the Mexican Social Security Institute
Mexican Social Security Institute
The Mexican Social Security Institute is a governmental organization that attends to public health, pensions and social security in Mexico operating under Secretaría de Salud .-History:...
(IMSS). "We began to smell smoke and the alarm went off. But it was explosive and there was no chance to get more children out," said María Adriana Gasca Sandoval, a daycare aide.
Burn treatment
López reported that some of the children were suffering from kidney failure due to a severe loss in body fluids caused by the burns. Others in hospital had respiratory symptoms from smoke inhalation. Many of the injured are being cared for in hospitals in GuadalajaraGuadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
. One boy cannot be moved for further treatment as he has been declared brain dead. Even though 15 medical specialists were specially flown in for treatment some children are being moved to the state of Jalisco which has doctors who specialize in children's burns. Two children were taken to a Shriner's burn hospital in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, for treatment "A lot of it is how deep the burn is and where it's located and how bad is the smoke inhalation," said Dr. Tina Palmieri, assistant chief of burns for the hospital, who reported that there is a 50 per cent chance of survival for one of the three year old girls who sustained burns to over 80 per cent of her body. This girl is accompanied by one parent, her father, and arrived in California by Mexican military transport. Her mother, working in the day care, rushed through the flames to pull her and other children out of the fire and was taken to a Ciudad Obregón
Ciudad Obregón
Ciudad Obregon is the second largest city in the northern Mexican state of Sonora and is situated south of the state's northern border with the U.S. state of Arizona. It is also the municipal seat of Cajeme municipality, located in the Yaqui Valley.- History :...
hospital.
A young boy arrived later in Sacramento for care who will be receiving several operations for skin graft surgery beginning on Sunday June 7 said Dr. David Greenhalgh, chief of burns at the Sacramento hospital. Both of these patients are being watched for infection and are in critical condition, but able to communicate. They cannot talk because they are being treated with breathing tubes
Tracheal tube
A tracheal tube is a catheter that is inserted into the trachea in order for the primary purpose of establishing and maintaining a patent airway and to ensure the adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Many different types of tracheal tubes are available, suited for different specific...
.
The burns on some of the children are so bad authorities are having problems identifying the burn victims.
Javier Alexis Pacheco, aged two was rushed to the hospital for treatment for burn injuries.
Four year old Hermán Vásquez with burns on 75 per cent of his body was rushed to Chávez Hospital. However his family did not find out where he was until 6 p.m. that evening.
"Unfortunately, fifteen of them are in danger of losing their lives over the next few hours," said López on Saturday.
Casualties
The majority of deaths occurred from smoke inhalation, however others died from the roof collapse during nap time. Camila, a three-year-old girl perished in the fire from asphyxiation. María, Julio, Fátima, Carlos, Sofía and Dafne were among the 41 pre-schoolers who were mourned in several funeral ceremonies on Saturday.Two-year-old María Magdalena Millán was buried Saturday, her parents attaching a Dora the Explorer balloon to the cross marking her grave, while her mother cried out "I love you and I don't want to leave you here!"
Germán León battled his injuries, but died Saturday morning, just days after his fourth birthday.
The family of 2-year-old Daniel Alberto Goyzueta Cabanillas, who died of smoke inhalation, held a funeral late Saturday afternoon.
The family of 2-year-old Camila Fuentes Cervera also held her funeral Saturday.
Grief and bereavement
Pope Benedict XVI sent a telegram to Archbishop of Hermosillo José Ulises Macías SalcedoJosé Ulises Macías Salcedo
José Ulises Macías Salcedo, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hermosillo, was born in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, on October 29, 1940.He studied Humanities in the Seminary of his native city, and studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where later received a...
. The pope offered his condolences, "together with spiritual closeness, concern, and wishes for a speedy and total recovery of those injured in the lamentable incident....With these sentiments, the Supreme Pontiff, in these moments of sadness, imparts from the heart the comfort of an apostolic blessing, as a sign of comfort and hope in the Risen Lord."
“I want to express in the name of the federal government, of all Mexicans and of me personally, our condolences to the mothers and fathers for this tragic accident,” said President Calderón.
Neighbours conducted a candlelight vigil the morning of June 7 at the University of Sonora in Hermosillo.
Day Care centre ownership
The ABC daycare was federally funded, but privately operated. The Social Security Institute provided a contact for operation. Two state officials have resigned, but at this time, they were not arrested. Their two wives co-owned the daycare.Investigation
PresidentPresident of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
has placed federal attorney general Eduardo Medina-Mora in charge of the investigation as to the cause of the fire. The President visited the scene and was said to be "enormously saddened". "This has been a painful tragedy for all Mexicans. I have ordered the federal prosecutor to as soon as possible carry out investigations to help us know exactly what and how it happened, and to work out corresponding responsibility," said Calderón.
The cause of the fire has been determined to be a malfunctioning air conditioning unit in the neighbouring warehouse. The warehouse was not equipped with fire extinguishers, nor smoke alarms. "The fire was caused by the overheating of an air conditioner due to continuous and prolonged use," said Attorney-General Eduardo Medina Mora. The air conditioner melted its aluminum housing and spread to license plates and paper work in the state government warehouse. The warehouse was closed and empty when the fire started.
However, there has been recently discovered that the fire was started intentionally in the warehouse next to the daycare center. (http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Nacional/08062010/451538.aspx)
The child care fire alarms did not alert staff to the fire as they were installed below a brightly coloured tarpaulin. It is believed that smoke filled the area between the warehouse's high roof and the false ceiling created by the tarp. When the tarp cauught fire smoke and flames collapsed onto the slumbering daycare infants and instantly filled the daycare with thick smoke. In 2005 the day care centre owner were advised to remove the tarp, widen the main entrance, and increase auxiliary fire exits and bring them up to fire regulation size. Subsequent safety inspections passed without the work being carried out, and contracts awarded for the continued operation of the centre.
Aftermath
There were no water sprinklers which would have automatically engaged in the event of a fire. A marked emergency exit was bolted shut and one mother at the child care reported that no one was able to obtain the key. Hermosillo Fire Department Chief Martín Lugo reported that, although the facility had recently passed a safety inspection, the fire alarms for the building were not installed correctly. Parents said that though the daycare had 20 on staff, only six were on duty on Friday. "We always have to be open to improvements, especially when we have a tragedy that has so moved us," said Karam, who admitted that their security requirements may need to be overhauled in light of the fact that the daycare passed safety inspection on May 26. The centre was set up for pre-school children aged two to four, but Bours has reported that younger infants were being cared for in the center.Seven state northern Sonora state finance department officials were arrested in connection with the fire for negligent homicide, with a total of fourteen under investigation. "They are employees and officials with the Finance Department who have a direct responsibility for the warehouse where the fire started."
The state Finance Department will file for negligence against the day care owners and the Social Security Institute will initiate a civil lawsuit. The highest official in the Social Security Institute resigned, and others have been suspended.