Man dies in fire at unlicensed care home in Uruguay; facility permanently closed

A fatal fire at the MonRepos residential care home in Colonia, Uruguay, has led to its permanent closure after a 66-year-old resident died in the blaze. The facility, which housed 36 individuals, including the deceased who resided in an annex, had been operating under a provisional closure order from the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) due to 61 documented irregularities. Notably, the home lacked authorization from the Fire Department.

The MSP's decision to permanently shut down MonRepos came after the fire, which is currently under investigation by the Fire Department. The 35 other residents, who were unharmed, have been temporarily moved to the homes of relatives and neighbors. The Ministry of Social Development (Mides) is working to secure permanent accommodation for them.

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If we close every place we go, where would we take all the residents?

Silvia Berardo, Colonia's departmental health director, explained that the provisional closure, issued on April 15 for 60 days, prohibited new admissions and required the center to rectify its issues within two months. Inspections had revealed problems with both the building's structure and its human resources. Berardo questioned the practicality of immediate closure, asking, "If we close every place we go, where would we take all the residents?"

She emphasized the goal is not to shut down homes but to have them renovated to continue housing residents. However, she acknowledged that many homes are in the process of regularization, which takes time and faces financial hurdles, particularly regarding fire safety certifications. The situation highlights a systemic issue in Colonia, where only 12 out of approximately 120 residential care homes are officially licensed. Nationwide, only about 20% of the 1,300 residential care homes in Uruguay hold proper authorization.

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The idea is not to close homes, but to have them renovated to continue housing residents.