Fire near Machu Picchu results in one death and two injuries

A fire near the main access route to Machu Picchu in Peru has resulted in one death and two injuries. The incident occurred on Friday in the Sacred Valley of the Cusco region, which includes the Ollantaytambo train station, a key transit point for visitors to the site. Miguel Osco, head of the Cusco Regional Office for Disaster Management and Safety, reported to RPP radio that an elderly person died in the flames and two others sustained second-degree burns. The fire was attributed to controlled bush burning conducted by farmers to clear land for crops. Osco noted that the flames spread rapidly due to hot, windy weather and dry vegetation. Machu Picchu, built by the Incas in the 15th century and located at an altitude of 2,500 meters in the Andes Mountains, is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and attracts approximately three million visitors annually.