Sixteen elderly residents have died after a fire broke out at a nursing home in Pitrufquen, in Chile’s Araucania region.

The incident occurred late Friday at the single-storey facility, located about 640 kilometres south of Santiago. Firefighters eventually brought the blaze under control in the early hours of Saturday.

There were 26 residents in the private care home when the fire started. Ten survivors were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Authorities said the facility had a history of regulatory violations, raising questions about its safety conditions. Regional health official Jose Bravo described the home as an unregulated facility that had faced administrative proceedings and fines since 2019.

Local authorities had also requested an inspection of the facility in February after it was found to be operating outside required regulations.

Firefighters remained at the scene on Saturday, clearing debris and removing parts of the collapsed roof, while police secured the area.

The cause of the fire has not yet been established. Prosecutor Jorge Granada said investigators were examining the scene and questioning people as part of efforts to determine how the fire started and whether any third party was involved.

The owners of the nursing home have been summoned to provide statements as the investigation continues.

Pitrufquen Mayor Jacqueline Romero said municipal health and emergency teams had been deployed to support the affected families.

Following the tragedy, Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast called for a full investigation and ordered urgent measures to assess conditions in nursing homes across the country.

Kast said the necessary steps must be taken to prevent a similar incident from happening again.