One of the most horrendous human tragedies in recent history took place 6 years ago this coming Friday, as 49 infants & toddlers died a horrible death, overcome by smoke and fire in the Guarderia ABC (ABC Daycare) in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Another 32 children survived, many suffering from terrible burns and other effects of the fire.
I wrote here as Serrano detailing this horrific incident at the time, as I served as Hermosillo Committee Chair of Phoenix Sister Cities. I am again in that important role, and will outline here some of the Medical and Political repercussions since that time.
Spoiler Alert---there are many on the Mexican side who have hardly covered themselves in glory.
The Building was clearly unfit for safely caring for the dozens of small children who had been left there. It was not freestanding or sprinklered, and there was only one entrance/exit. The staff had quite obviously not been trained in even the most rudimentary of safety and evacuation procedures. The fire began in an adjoining part of the building, and traveled across the roof. The day's hero was the Pickup Hero, who used his pickup truck as a battering ram to knock an opening in the block wall to help free some of the babies. What struck you was that, as he did, all you saw on the other side of the wall were cribs. These babies couldn't even walk for themselves!!!
Many of the survivors clung to life for weeks, even as their diminutive brethren were buried and parents held weekly marches seeking justice. They would ultimately receive little, if any. The Mexican Federal Government provided some medical and other benefits, but the City and State (Hermosillo and Sonora) have failed to respond in a meaningful and full-throated manner.
The Sonoran Governor at the time, Eduardo Bours, was found to have awarded 13 Daycare Contracts to his family (already billionaires), and Javier Gandara, following his cousin Ernesto as Mayor of Hermosillo (though the latter, aka "Borrego" is PRI and Javier is PAN), despite his vast political and financial power, effectively did nothing, then decided he had earned a promotion. He is now a candidate for Governor.
There is, to this day, no true Burn Center at the Hospital Infantil (Children's Hospital) in Hermosillo, despite offers of all types of support and assistance. Bernardo Campillo has been State Director of Health, and has, unexplicably, blocked this essential move for years, despite the fact that he personally recounted to me the unspeakable horrors of working in the Emergency Room that day and witnessing so much death. He told me that the stench of death was so overwhelming that they couldn't get rid of it. They ultimately had to replace the entire ceiling.
I am proud of what we in Phoenix have been able to do to help our friends south of the border. The phenomenal Arizona Burn Center at the Maricopa County Hospital has provided unbelievable support and assistance. Nearly 50 Nurses, Doctors, and Medical Students have been hosted at the Burn Center and trained in the latest and most effective techniques. Former Director Betsey Bayless, the incredible Dr. Kevin Foster, Ruth Brubaker Rimmer, and Martha Martinez, among others, have been unflinching in their support. The Phoenix Children's Hospital performed critical lung screening procedures on the young survivors, and, I am glad to say, we will welcome, for the third time, young visitors from Hermosillo this Friday to participate in the incredible Camp Courage in Prescott. We will welcome them with Rides, Pizza, a Pool Party, then a week of sharing and healiing in the High Desert Mountains. The kids will be home-stayed here in Phoenix.
We were able to raise nearly $50,000 in all in response to this tragedy, under the leadership of then-Councilman Claude Mattox, and have utilized it thus far to support the nurses and medical personnel, promote prevention activities, and help with the Camp Kids. We have also facilitated donations of needed supplies and equipment from MIHS and with Project CURE, which does wonderful things with surplus items.
Our Sister Cities friendship with Hermosillo has lasted some 39 years, and I am beyond proud of what we have been able to do in response on a human level. At the time, we had 10 high school-aged Youth Ambassadors here from Hermosillo and all of them, with their Phoenix brothers and sisters, volunteered to tour the burn unit to learn and understand more.
Oh, that the Political "Leaders" in Hermosillo and Sonora had been so upright in honestly confronting this tragedy. There was an opportunity here for a true Profile in Courage, but none was forthcoming. We have been able to forge positive linkages on the Medical front that will endure. We remain committed to both assistance and capacity-building on the Mexican side. But the searing image of the unimaginable tragedy that occurred that day---June 5, 2009 is indelible. The truth cannot long be avoided. Each one of these surviving children will require at least 2-3 Major Operations each year until they are at least 18. Thanks to our cooperative effort, they now have an improved Medical Environment on which to rely, but not the true Burn Unit that they and others in Hermosillo so richly deserve.