The place was founded in 1951 and was one of the main attractions of the so-called “garden city”, with its 395 hectares dedicated to environmental education and culture.

According to the commander of the fire department, Patricio Brito, the Botanical Garden was completely burnt, nothing could be done to save it.

An official of the horticulture area died along with three members of her family when the fire reached their house inside the place, as confirmed by the site’s administration.

The garden exhibited some 800 species of plants native to Chile, many of which are under threat of extinction in the wild.

In addition to that, there were family rest areas, environmental interpretation trails, an artificial lagoon that served as a habitat for 50 species of birds and spaces for social events and concerts.

All this disappeared under the action of the fire which, based on the latest reports, caused the death of 51 persons in the Valparaíso Region, a figure that is still preliminary and could increase in the following hours.

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