The Associated Press
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — A fire raged through a building housing abused women and their families in Honduras Thursday, killing three adults and six children, officials said.
Firefighters battled the blaze at the two-story Tegucigalpa women’s shelter for five hours before bringing it under control.
“Everything suddenly became an inferno and I fled my bedroom,” said Delfa Zelaya, 30, who was rescued by firefighters and hospitalized. “I jumped into the patio and I broke my left leg.”
Carlos Cordero, commander of the Tegucigalpa fire department, said that in addition to the children, two women and one man were killed.
“After removing the wreckage, we recovered the burned bodies,” he said.
Preliminary reports indicated that the fire may have been caused by a short-circuit. But Cordero added that authorities had not ruled out arson.
The Women and Children’s Orientation Center housed four women and nine children; the others escaped. It was unclear who the male victim was.