Peru's Fire Killing 4 Workers Is Case of Modern Slavery: ILO

The International Labor Organization said Saturday that the fire that killed four workers and injured at least 17 in Lima “is close to modern forms of slavery such as forced labor.”

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The ILO Office for the Andean Countries expressed “concern” in a communique for the four young workers who were killed during the fire that hit a factory producing hardware Thursday.

Local media reported that the workers were illegally locked inside the factory and that large containers were illegally located on the facility's rooftop terrace, where a few young workers tried to call for help while surrounded by the flames.

“Working in the conditions of imprisonment represents a clear and obvious violation of fundamental labor rights and of human dignity,” added the text. “This tragedy reflects a sad and terrible reality, it is close to modern forms of slavery such as forced labor, which affects millions of people across the world and Peru is no exception.”

Peru's Public Ministry has opened an investigation over a “probable offense of human trafficking via labor exploitation,” which resulted in Thursday's fire.