Fire in Chilean city of Valparaíso destroys about 50 homes - firefighters

A man throws water to help to extinguish a fire in Valparaiso, Chile December 24, 2019. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A fire in a poor neighbourhood of the coastal Chilean city of Valparaíso destroyed dozens of houses on Tuesday and firefighters struggled to control the blaze, authorities said.

Inhabitants fled their homes in the middle of Christmas Eve festivities, some losing all their belongings and even pets, a Reuters witness said.