Ten University Students Killed, Three Injured in Devastating Huancané Restaurant Fire in Peru

08:37 AM, 12/06/2025

Ten students from a teacher training college, aged 17–23, were killed and three others were injured when a fire tore through the Calma Tripa restaurant in Huancané, Puno region. The group was on the restaurant's second floor during a birthday celebration and were trapped as flames engulfed the wood-and-brick building. Neighbors tried to help but the town lacks a fire department; firefighters from nearby Juliaca arrived about an hour later. Officials say an exploding gas tank is being investigated as a possible cause, highlighting recurring safety lapses in rural Peru.

Deadly Blaze Claims Lives of Students at Birthday Gathering

Ten university students died and three others were injured when a fire swept through the Calma Tripa restaurant in Huancané, in Peru’s Andean Puno region, police said Friday. The victims, students at a local teacher training college, were aged between 17 and 23.

The blaze broke out on Thursday afternoon. According to local authorities and news reports, the students were trapped on the restaurant’s second floor — a wood-and-brick structure — and were overtaken by flames before they could escape.

“With the arrival of forensic experts from the police and prosecutor’s office, 10 bodies were found,” a local police officer told AFP.

Neighbors attempted to fight the fire with extinguishers and buckets of water, local media reported. Huancané Mayor Valerio Tapia told the state news agency Andina that the town of roughly 20,000 residents does not have a municipal fire department. Fire crews from the nearby city of Juliaca arrived about an hour after the blaze began and worked to control the fire.

A source who asked not to be identified told investigators that an exploding gas tank may have ignited the blaze. Authorities are investigating the exact cause.

Fires triggered by improperly stored or handled flammable materials are a recurring problem in remote parts of Peru, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced. Local officials and emergency services are expected to review safety practices following this tragedy.

Sources: AFP, Andina.

Ten University Students Killed, Three Injured in Devastating Huancané Restaurant Fire in Peru

Deadly Blaze Claims Lives of Students at Birthday Gathering

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