Key Facts
—What. An explosion and fire in a first-floor apartment in central Santiago killed three people on Friday 13 November 2026.
—Who. Santiago’s fire service says the dead appear to be two adults and a child.
—Where. Calle San Dionisio at Longaví, in Santiago’s city centre.
—Cause. Not yet established; early reports point to gas.
—As of 13 November 2026, 10:00 am Santiago time (13:00 GMT)
Three people, two adults and a child, died in a fire after an explosion that early reports attribute to gas, in an apartment in central Santiago before dawn on Friday 13 November 2026. The Cuerpo de Bomberos de Santiago, the capital’s fire service, said its crews found the bodies once the blaze was under control.
La Tercera, a Chilean daily, reported that the fire started around 5:00 am on Calle San Dionisio. BioBioChile, a Chilean news site, placed it at the corner with Longaví, in a first-floor flat of an apartment building.
What We Know
Sergio Yévenes, the fire service’s third commander, said, “Lamentablemente, debo informar que logramos encontrar a tres personas fallecidas en el interior del departamento” (“Sadly, I must report that we found three people dead inside the apartment”). He described the victims as two adults and a minor, in remarks carried by La Tercera and Meganoticias, a Chilean television news channel.
He said the flames were so intense that firefighters could not get in quickly, which is why the search for possible victims failed at first. Meganoticias reported that at least 13 fire companies went to the scene, and La Tercera reported that no other apartments were affected.
A neighbour told Meganoticias that “de repente, en dos minutos, explotó todo” (“suddenly, within two minutes, everything blew up”). Meganoticias’ reporter at the scene said the dead were a family group.
What Is Not Known
The cause is not established. La Tercera cited preliminary information pointing to a gas explosion, while Yévenes said the fire service’s own experts would investigate once the fire was out.
BioBioChile reported that the OS9 unit of the Carabineros, Chile’s national police, and the force’s forensic laboratory will investigate the blast.
What Happens Next
The fire service’s experts and the Carabineros will now work to establish the cause. For more local news, see our Chile news hub, and for another recent Chile case, Chile Megafire Trial Opens for Nine Over 138 Deaths.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in central Santiago on 13 November 2026?
An explosion and fire in a first-floor apartment on Calle San Dionisio killed three people, the Cuerpo de Bomberos de Santiago said. The fire started around 5:00 am, La Tercera reported.
What caused the Santiago apartment explosion?
The cause is not established. Early reports point to a gas explosion, and fire service and Carabineros police experts will investigate.
Sources: Cuerpo de Bomberos de Santiago statements as carried by La Tercera, BioBioChile and Meganoticias, all 13 November 2026.
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