Guatemalans Are Mourning After A Fire Killed 21 Teens At A Shelter For Abuse Victims

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Government officials said some of the children set fire to a mattress and attempted to escape during a riot.

Saul Martinez / Reuters

The fire broke out in the Virgen de Asunción home, near Guatemala City, early Wednesday morning. 19 girls died in the blaze, and another two died after they were transported to hospital, Diaro De Centro America reported. Dozens more, all aged between 13 and 17, are being treated for burns, Reuters reported.

The cause of the fire has not been officially determined but government officials said it began after some of the children set fire to a mattress and attempted to escape during a riot.

Distraught relatives, many of who have camped outside the home to demand answers from the government, claim the shelter's officials were abusing the teenagers.

Saul Martinez / Reuters

The director of the home, Santos Torres, was removed by the government on Thursday as part of an investigation into Wednesday's incident.

As anger mounts, Guatemala's attorney general has filed a complaint with the public prosecutor's office, according to the attorney general's spokesperson, to determine what happened on Tuesday night.

As many as 60 teenagers escaped on the same evening, according to Prensa Libre. The local newspaper said the children had been placed in the home because they had been victims of domestic violence, trafficking, sexual abuse, or were found on the streets.

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