A voracious fire was reported on the night of Good Friday on the hill of Cristo Rey, in western Cali (Valle del Cauca), which caused anxiety among citizens, since due to the magnitude of the incident, the flames could be observed from various parts of the city.
According to the newspaper El Tiempo, four machines and 12 fire units were required in order to extinguish the conflagration in one of the most emblematic sites of the capital of Vallecaucana.
However, it was until late in the morning that the emergency agency managed to control the fire, according to local news outlet Cali Web.
Until that time there were no reports of injuries, nor of the measures to be taken for tourists arriving at that point, which is one of the most visited in that city during Holy Week. According to figures given to Blu Radio, some 35,000 people had ascended to Cristo Rey, and were waiting for three times as many people by Friday.
Precisely, in the Mayor's Office of Cali they established schedules so that people could visit the tutelary hills of the city that are of high pilgrimage during the Major Week. In this way, from 6 in the morning, the entrance to Cerro de las Tres Cruces, Cristo Rey or Yanaconas was enabled.
The city authorities emphasized that at 3 p.m. all people must descend from these tourist sites and that, after this time, it is expected that there will be no more citizens in those areas of the capital of the Valley.
“We don't want people to be vulnerable and exposed. After 4 in the afternoon we will be with the Police and the Ministry of Security and Justice inviting them to leave these places,” said Mayor Jorge Iván Ospina.
In the case of Cerro de las Tres Cruces, the authorities indicated that the only authorized access for the ascent is that of the Chipichape road, but for the measure of getting off before 3 in the afternoon to be fulfilled; from 1:00 in the afternoon access will be closed, preventing more people from climbing. Access through the Montebello sector will not be enabled to avoid situations of risk to citizens.
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