AT least 16 people have been killed after a massive blaze ripped through a nursing home in Chile.

Firefighters rushed to save trapped residents as the horror fire engulfed the retirement facility near the city of Pitrufquén.

At least 16 people have been killed in a major fire at a Chilean nursing home

Fire crews were able to evacuate ten of the residents

Only ten people were evacuated in time.

The tragedy unfolded after the blaze broke out at around 10.30pm yesterday.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Shocking footage shows fire engines gathered outside the home as plumes of smoke billow into the sky.

Out-of-control flames can be seen engulfing the home and beaming a glow across the neighbourhood.

Firefighters, cops and officials are working at the scene to clear debris and secure the area.

A nearby high school has been designated as a shelter for those affected.

The nursing home is located in Villa Comuy, around 20 miles west of Pitrufquén and 460 miles south of Chilean capital Santiago.

Shocking footage shows the fire engulf the facility

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation

A similar tragedy occurred when ten people were killed in a nursing home fire in Chile in 2018.

A blaze had broken out in the woman’s dormitory at the Santa Marta nursing home in Chiguayante, roughly 320 miles south of Santiago.

Aerial photos showed the women’s wing burned to the ground, with a few metal bed frames amid the charred ruins.

Then president Sebastian Pinera said: “The entire country is moved by this tragedy.”

The latest fire comes just days after a major blaze broke out at a popular ski hotel in the mountains of Pinto, Chile.

Shocking footage showed the inferno engulfing the Hotel Alto Nevados, forcing around 150 people to evacuate.

Among them was a group of US ski racers who lost all of their belonging ahead of a major race.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the skiers.

Organiser Lauren Beckos said: “Most of the individuals left their rooms with the clothes on their backs, leaving behind all their ski clothing and gear.

“Nearly half of those affected did not even manage to salvage their wallets, passports, cash, or medications.

“In many cases, they dashed through smoke from the fire to escape the building without shoes or coats.”

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16992162/huge-blaze-engulfs-nursing-home-dead/