By Sovereign Hager
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
HERMOSILLO, Mexico – The Sonora State Attorney General says that negligence was the cause of a day care fire that claimed the lives of forty-four children on June 5th. The private facility was leased by the government to provide people with low-cost day care. 173 children attended day care in the 1,612 square feet converted warehouse in an industrial area.
While a record of safety inspection, dated May 26, indicates that the day care had fire extinguishers and an exit with signs leading to it, witnesses say no fire alarms or sprinklers went off. Authorities cite the lack of emergency doors, fake ceilings, bad electrical installations, and highly toxic products as causes of the fire. Rescuers had to break through walls to rescue children. The Director of the Social Security Institute in Mexico is looking into why the day care passed the safety inspection.
On Monday, state and federal officials promised to investigate thoroughly, without regard to the day care owners’ family and political ties. One of the owners is related to Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala and her husband is a top public-works official in the Sonoran government. The husband of the other owner is also a highly ranked state official.
The fire raises concern about the safety standards at more than 1,500 government sponsored low-cost day care centers in Mexico. At least 200,000 children are cared for in these facilities. Twenty-two survivors remain in critical condition. The Social Security Institute, the agency responsible for the day care facilities has agreed to pay the survivors’ health costs for life.
