'Will not leave you': Chile officials say will control massive fire in which two dead, 400 houses damaged

Some 400 firefighters and 150 forest rangers are at the site of a major fire at the resort in Chile. Officials on Friday (Dec 23) said the blaze will be controlled by the end of the day. The incident claimed the lives of two and damaged some 400 houses.

The president's office on Thursday declared a state of emergency in the area after the fire broke out in a seaside resort of Vina del Mar.

The National Emergency Office (Onemi) said that the fire burned around 110 hectares (270 acres) which spread rapidly with high heat intensity and dispersion.

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Manuel Monsalve, assistant secretary to the minister of interior said, "The president of the republic has instructed the declaration of a state of constitutional exception of catastrophe due to public calamity."

"There was a very quick response to the beginning of the fire but despite this, as a result of the location where the fire developed, the weather conditions, the wind and the presence of combustible material, it spread very aggressively and quickly," he added.

Assuring safety, city's commander Patricio Brito on Twitter said, "We will not leave you."

(With inputs from agencies)

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