The Kayser factory fire case, which resulted in the tragic deaths of five individuals in October 2019, has re-emerged in public discussion due to leaked reports indicating a potential closure of the investigation. Victims’ attorney Alejandra Arriaza has publicly refuted these claims, citing a campaign of “disinformation” and emphasizing that the case remains actively investigated.
In an interview, Arriaza criticized the investigation’s inconsistencies and the failure of state institutions, stressing that the families of the deceased—Julián Pérez, Andrés Ponce, Manuel Muga, Luis Salas, and Yoshua Osorio—continue to seek justice. She characterized the incident as emblematic of human rights violations during a significant social crisis in Chile.
Reports suggested that the investigation could be based on the testimonies of key witnesses deemed unreliable, raising questions about the timing and accuracy of this information release. Arriaza contested assertions from the Prosecutor’s Office regarding the potential case closure, insisting that numerous investigative procedures are still pending.
Additionally, she addressed the shortcomings identified by a parliamentary investigative committee, which focused not only on the deaths but also on the failures of state agencies like the Carabineros de Chile and the Legal Medical Service, particularly in securing evidence and properly handling victims’ narratives.
While Arriaza refrained from naming suspects, she emphasized the urgent need for a thorough investigation and blamed “misleading information” for deepening the families’ trauma. She concluded by calling for responsible media reporting and reaffirmed the victims’ families’ right to know the full truth about the Kayser tragedy.
Overall, six years after the fire, the quest for justice remains complicated by ongoing misinformation and institutional negligence.
