BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Nine firefighters were killed, seven others injured and two are missing after they battled a fire of unknown origin in Argentina’s capital Wednesday.
The Associated Press reported that the fire at the Iron Mountain warehouse took hours to control and the building is ruined despite the efforts of at least 10 fire departments.
The nine firefighters were crushed when a brick wall collapsed on top of them, according to the report.
“It took them completely by surprise,” Argentina’s Security Secretary Sergio Berni said. “Some of the injured are fighting for their lives.”
Berni said Iron Mountain had its own firefighting team at the site, and a search is underway for two trapped missing employees, according to the report.
Rescuers removed rubble by hand to reach people caught under the collapsed exterior wall.
Destroyed archives include documents stored for Argentina’s banking industry, said Buenos Aires security minister Guillermo Montenegro.
The cause of the fire wasn’t immediately clear.
“There are cameras in the area, and these videos will be added to the judicial investigation, to clear up the motive of the fire and collapse,” Montenegro told the Diarios y Noticias agency.