Port of Chiquilá, Q.R. — A house was left gutted after an overnight fire in the Port of Chiquilá. A lit firecracker has been blamed for the fire that left a home in ruins.
The fire happened Tuesday night around 7:30 p.m. Local authorities confirmed the loss is believed due to kids playing with firecrackers.
Neighbors tried to put the fire out themselves since the flames spread fast, but they were not able to control it. A fire brigade from the town of Kantunilkín arrived 44 kilometers away, but after most of the home had been consumed.
Port of Chiquilá Mayor Joel Pino Álvarez reported that, unofficially, it has been determined that the fire was caused by children playing with firecrackers.
The official report states that the fire was caused by a firecracker that was thrown onto a public road where it entered the yard of a house. The fireworks caused some objects in the yard to catch fire. No one was home at the time of the fire.

Due to the fire, Pino Álvarez has requested relevant authorities investigate the sale and distribution of firecrackers in the municipality, which are not legal.
Mayor Pino Álvarez also highlighted the need for a fire station in Chiquilá. He said by the time firefighters sent from Kantunilkín arrived, it was only to document the incident.