The drop in the ceiling in a shopping center in Peru leaves at least 4 deaths and 70 injured

At least four people have died and 70 are injured by the collapse of a part of the roof of a shopping center in Trujillo, the third city for the population of the country, official sources reported on Saturday, which initially had reported 29 injured.

The Ministry of Health shared on social networks the official list of injured with the identity of people, in some cases their age and the hospital or clinic where they are treated.

Among these people, at least three are children, although the regional health manager of the La Libertad region -whose capital is Trujillo -, Aníbal Manuel Morillo, indicated that injured children could be ten.

About two hours before the Ministry of Interior reported in a brief statement that «there are three deaths so far» and that more than 200 police and firefighters carry out search for people trapped in the debris.

In addition to the three deceased and 61 injured, there are still at least two people trapped among the debris, according to local authorities, who have not reported later if they have been able to be rescued.

Interior Minister Juan José Santiváñez explained to Channel N that they had fallen between 700 and 800 square meters of roof in the restaurants area of ​​the mall.

To continue with rescue work, hydraulic cranes should enter to lift the debris, essentially composed of cement and metal structures.

The Regional Emergency Operations Center (COER) explained that the ceiling collapse occurred at the Real Plaza de Trujillo Shopping Center at approximately 20:40 (01.40 GMT time on Saturday) and the emergency was reported at 21:10.

The Ministry of Health issued another statement in which it reported that they have arranged for the transfer of a team of 14 professionals to Trujillo «to support with the care of the injured and the transfer of patients to hospitals in Lima.»

For its part, the Public Ministry indicated that personnel from the Third Provincial Criminal Prosecutor’s Office of Trujillo are in the shopping center «to carry out the proceedings against those responsible for the alleged crime against life, body and health.»

«In addition, he ordered to carry out the lifting of the bodies, as well as to find the health status of the injured who were transferred to the hospital of the city,» said the Prosecutor’s Office.

Peruvian Social Health Insurance, Essalud, reported that in response to this emergency, the Red Code has activated in the La Libertad Assistance Network to immediately mobilize ambulances and put the hospitals in the region on maximum alert. EFE